| Tennessee is a wet state, with nearly 50 inches of rain falling in any given year. Managing water in our landscapes is important for healthy, resilient yards. We will examine a suite of strategies to address all that rainwater to beneficial ends. Rain gardens are shallow depressions in the ground that capture stormwater runoff and infiltrate it into the soil -- benefitting water quality while also providing a unique opportunity for gardeners in the intermittently wet soils. Wetlands also offer opportunities to create unique plant communities that might not thrive elsewhere on your property. Riparian zones along creeks, rivers, and other waterbodies are also important and require specific strategies to ensure their health. These practices create "microhabitats" in your yard, increasing the diversity of habitat you offer to wildlife.
This class will include outdoor components so please make sure to dress for the weather and bring snacks, water, note-taking materials.
INSTRUCTOR: Andrea Ludwig, PhD, EIT and Madison Johnson, Graduate Research Assistant |
