Lower School Rain Garden

Thank you for documenting this Outdoor Wonder Lab #1 at Collegiate's 

Lower School Rain Garden!

Your role as a citizen scientist will help document seasonal and annual changes in this student-driven conservation effort to increase native biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts of increased rainfall, run-off and higher temperatures in our area.

GARDEN HISTORY  

In May of 2023, students in the Upper School science elective, "Biodiversity and Conservation," designed and planted a native rain garden to:

1) help prevent erosion on the Ropes Course from run-off, and

2) attract and support native wildlife.

Students, Braden Bell and Fitz Stanley (Class of 2024) collected thermal soil data in the Fall of 2023 which showed a significant positive impact of the initial garden on water retention in the soil - the native plants were working! 

These seniors presented their findings at the "Throwing Solar Shade" conference sponsored by Secure Solar Futures and won a generous grant for this work to continue at Collegiate.

Since 2023, the rain garden has been maintained and expanded by ninth-grade students during Upper School Retreat Days centered on civic engagement and by volunteers with the Collegiate's environmental service organization, Earth Society.

 https://www.instagram.com/sustainable_cougarrrs/

ECOLOGICAL APPROACH - "Messy on Purpose"

Native plants are allowed to remain standing over the winter months until temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, giving native insects and other arthropods essential shelter. This ecological gardening approach may look "messy," but tucked in those brown stems are resting pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates.

Additionally, native perennials (plants that grow back year after year) are used to optimize soil health and structure as their roots continue to grow and hold soil over many seasons.

Sustainability Science students in the Upper School researched and selected specific native perennials that feed wildlife and that help trap and bioremediate any heavy metals from parking lot run-off. These data-driven choices help protect water quality in the downstream pond that hosts turtles, frogs, toads, fish, snakes, waterbirds, muskrats to name a few.

https://sites.google.com/collegiate-va.org/student-native-rain-garden/home