Rain Barrels

Rain barrels can help reduce the amount of rainwater runoff expelled into stormwater sewer systems, reducing runoff pollution. Rain barrels also provide an alternate water source for your garden, lessening the amount of treated municipal water you and your family use during the growing season.

Native Plantings

Native plantings not only look beautiful, they provide habitat and food for native pollinators. If you don't know where to start with your urban pollinator planting, contact Larissa Fitzgerald in our office and check out the Lawns to Legumes Grant opportunity on the Blue Thumb website. 

Rain Gardens

 Though you can't collect and reuse the water your rain garden collects, they help immensely with the reduction of stormwater runoff while also providing key resources for our native pollinator species. Rain garden planting are also eligible for the Lawns to Legumes grant mentioned previously.

Tree/Shrub Planting

Trees and shrubs in urban areas also improve air quality, provide shade to reduce the heat island effect, and create habitats for birds and pollinators. Their root systems help stabilize soil, reducing erosion and filtering pollutants before they reach waterways.