TRANSCRIPT (Narrator) Rain. All life depends on it. But this vital resource can also carry pollution. A lot of that pollution comes from cities: millions of miles of roads, countless square feet of roofs. Impervious surfaces just can’t soak up rain like natural surfaces can. That stormwater becomes run-off, traveling and mixing with oil from cars, Pesticides from yards, feces from pets, and other pollutants, all of which hitch a ride right into our water sources. So how can you combat runaway rain? Students from W.B. Saul Agricultural High School in Philadelphia are working with a landscape architect, environmental engineers from CH2M, and The Nature Conservancy to use green infrastructure to create a stormwater solution bringing sustainability to their campus while learning about different career paths and gaining skills they can carry into the workforce. (Hans Hesselein) Green infrastructure is a term that describes when you intentionally manage stormwater in an environment that mimics a more natural system, essentially treating stormwater as a resource rather than a waste product. (Narrator) One form of green infrastructure is a rain garden. Rain gardens filter and absorb stormwater to avoid pollution, flooding, and erosion. Students at Saul are building a rain garden and rainwater harvesting system to reduce stormwater runoff on their urban campus. By using green infrastructure, they’re beautifying their school, and making it more sustainable. Rain gardens are full of native plants that thrive in their environment and support local wildlife. The gardens also include deep-rooted plants that can absorb more water. And during dry spells, a well-placed cistern can feed the garden with water harvested from the last rainstorm. (Hans Hesselein) This garden here is capturing all the stormwater from the roof of that building which is about-- a little over a hundred square feet and so all that water which is about 400 gallons during a 1-inch rainstorm is going to be diverted into that garden and is going to infiltrate into the grounds. And it’s going to provide irrigation for the plants that are in that garden, make them grow really strong and healthy. That is in turn going to provide habitat to pollinators and other insects and wildlife. (Narrator) If just one rain garden can reduce run-off by hundreds of gallons, imagine the impact of using green infrastructure throughout an entire region. Large cities could prevent hundreds of millions of gallons of polluted stormwater from entering their rivers each year. To bring a rain garden to your community, here are the steps to follow. Put your project in motion with a plan. Assemble a team of fellow students, teachers, community partners, and experts. This is going to be a group effort. Together, identify and survey your site. Maybe it’s next to the basketball court, a parking lot, or another impervious surface. Determine average rainfall and test the soil drainage to plan a garden large enough to capture the runoff and let it infiltrate the soil. Research any approvals or permits you’ll need before you build. Have you talked to your school administration and maintenance crew to make sure they’re on board? Do you need to get permission from your city or district? All stakeholders need to be in support of your project to guarantee success, and your community partners can help guide you through these processes. [Susan Beck] Having a partnership with a school is a great opportunity for us to share our knowledge and to bring something to students of all ages and to the community at large. [Narrator] Next, design your garden. Measure the site to create your own map, or use existing ones. A satellite image or a map of your school’s campus is a great place to start. Bring your map into the field and use it to record measurements and notes about the site. [Paul Mendoza] My favorite part would definitely be going outside. Doing measurements outside, working with the tools. We’re used to just sitting in the classroom, staying on computers, learning about the environment, and this is like, a chance to do something for the environment. [Narrator] Next, conduct a site inventory. Record notes about significant features like water sources and existing vegetation so you know exactly what kind of space you’re working with. Find out if there are any underground service lines or other utilities in the area that need to be avoided. Use your notes to create a base map for the rest of your planning. Now’s the time to make a planting plan to make sure your garden will attract people and pollinators. Will you include any benches, stones, or paths? What will you grow? How much space do the plants need? When you’ve figured that out, head back outside to outline your garden. [Hans Hesselein] Drawing on paper is one thing, but actually experiencing it in the real world is another thing. [Narrator] To begin building, pick installation days when your whole team is available and coordinate pickup or delivery of supplies for those days. You’ll need tools like wheelbarrows and shovels, and supplies like soils and the plants themselves. Using your garden gear, you’re ready to prep your site for installation. [Garth Schuler] Our students always enjoy the ”hands-on.” They would much rather be out in the field with the actual tool than receiving the theory. They get to say, ”We did it.” There’s nothing better than saying, ”I built it.” [Narrator] And finally, it’s time to plant. But, a rain garden is never really done. Maintaining it is just as important as making it in the first place. Who will care for the garden when school’s out for summer? Or when you graduate? Perhaps future students are your school’s maintenance crew? Keep your garden healthy by avoiding fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Mulch, water, trim, and replace plants as needed. Keep an eye out for erosion, and make sure your garden is clear of debris to ensure water can reach all the plants. With these steps in mind, you’re well on your way to creating a successful rain garden. But green infrastructure is really about being creative and working with what you’ve got. [Andy Potts] This is, you know, a relatively significant rain garden with a rainwater harvesting system, but there could be smaller interventions, pollinator gardens, downspout disconnections, pavement removal—all of them could provide near or equal value in terms of demonstrating the power of natural systems to manage stormwater to help improve our urban environments. [Narrator] As long as you’re willing to get your hands dirty, you can find a way to make green infrastructure work for your school. [Student] We all got to be little artists, architect-constructors—and then, in the end, we got to see our creations come together and then, come to life. [Narrator] One garden may seem small, but a patchwork of rain gardens working together will greatly contribute to the sustainability of your city and beyond. [Juliet Wardel] This rain garden is kind of like our little legacy that we’ll leave behind for, like, all the future classes in school. I hope they take really good care of it.