water

Calling All Master Rain Gardeners

This summer Cuyahoga SWCD hosted its first Master Rain Gardener workshop. This in depth 5-session course is based on the successful program from Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Rain gardens capture and soak in rainwater. They slow down runoff and filter pollutants. This helps protect our local streams and lakes.

The Master Rain Gardener course aims to build a community of rain garden experts. Instructors taught students to design, dig and plant their own rain garden. Classmates worked together in class and online to solve problems with rain gardens in their own yards.

We are very excited about the results so far:

  • 29 participants completed the course
  • 8 new rain gardens have been installed
  • 6 existing rain gardens have been updated
  • 3 public rain gardens have been adopted and/or rehabbed by 6 volunteers
  • Several students complimented the enthusiasm and knowledge of the instructors.

"The class is both informative and fun.The speakers for the various topics are knowledgeable and are willing towork with the students one-on-one.” – 2019 Master Rain Gardener Student

We will be partnering with Mayfield Village to host the course in May 2020. In addition, we will partner with Chagrin River Watershed Partners to host an online course. Registration is now open for the Cuyahoga 2020 in-person course and 2020 online course.

Chagrin River Watershed Partners is also hosting an in-person course and online course in 2020 in partnership with Lake SWCD and Holden Arboretum. See their website for details.

Thank you to our partners at Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center, Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office, Lake Soil & Water Conservation District, Chagrin River Watershed Partners and NEO-PIPE for helping us to bring this inaugural course to Cuyahoga County.

Blog Author: Elizabeth Hiser, Euclid Creek Watershed Program Manager

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