Free Rain Garden Workshop at Edgewood College Scheduled for July 20

July 01, 2002
Sue Jones, Watershed Management Coordinator (267-0118) David Shiffert, Friends of Lake Wingra (663-2838)
County Executive

On Saturday, July 20, 2002, the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission, Agrecol Corp., Edgewood College, Friends of Lake Wingra, Progressive Dane's Environmental Task Force, and Partnership for Rain Gardens are sponsoring a free workshop for people who want to know more about rain gardens. The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 108 of the Sonderegger Science Center on the Edgewood College Campus, Madison, Wisconsin (use the Monroe Street entrance). Rain that runs off rooftops, parking lots, driveways and into our storm drains untreated, efficiently delivers sediment, fertilizer, oil, chemicals and more to our lakes, rivers and streams. However, rain gardens can soak up 30% more runoff from impervious surfaces than a comparable patch of lawn. This helps significantly to prevent pollutants from reaching our water resources. Here’s an opportunity for anyone with a yard to do something positive with stormwater! Steve Banovetz, Ecologist/proprietor of Agrecol native plant nursery, will describe rain gardens, how they work, and how to identify soil types to aid in choosing species to plant. Participants will also learn how big their rain gardens should be and where they should be installed. The workshop begins at 10 a.m. and by noon attendees will have hands-on experience in rain garden development. The workshop is being held in response to the great interest generated by the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission’s self-guided rain garden tour held during Yahara Lakes Week. Approximately 70 people visited the six rain gardens on the tour. For more information call 663-2838 or go to http://danenet.wicip.org/fowingra/events.html. Registration is preferred, please e-mail: dshiffert@edgewood.edu. # # #