2009 Euclid Creek Watershed Events
Rain Barrel Workshop & Sale in City of Euclid - March 28
Richmond Heights Arbor Day Celebration - April 24
Invasive Garlic Mustard Pull - May 9
Hawken Middle School Rain Garden Installation - June 2-4
Rain Barrel Workshop in South Euclid - June 6
Public Education Message for 2009: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In - Using Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to reduce our impact on local water resources.
March 28, 2009
Rain
Barrel Workshop & Sale in City of Euclid
Our second Euclid Creek rain barrel workshop at the Euclid Historical Society was another great event and partnership with the City of Euclid, Friends of Euclid Creek and the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD).
The event was unique in that Euclid's Councilwoman Minarik ran a rain barrel sale with a second type of brown rain barrel from the blue or white barrel offered at CSWCD workshops, in order to offer people more than one choice. Euclid set up a fantastic display at City Hall showing off the barrels so interested residents could see the two barrels and how they connect to a downspout system. 60+ people attended the workshop and sale and purchased a total of 52 rain barrels!
Residents learned how to make their own rain barrel for collecting rain water for lawn and garden watering. Water normally flows through your downspout into a city storm water system, or runs onto a paved surface eventually into a storm drain leading to our creeks and rivers. Participants also learned the benefits of using rain barrels, which include, lower water costs, improved health of garden plants and beneficial microbes in the soil, natural recharge of groundwater, and decreased water pollution by reducing polluted storm water runoff (from sediment, fertilizers, grease, oil and bacteria).
Consider participating in a rain barrel workshop to help protect our watershed and to learn more about the benefits of rain barrels. Keep an eye out for future rain barrel workshops organized by Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District or through partner organizations like the Cleveland Metroparks, Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, and Cleveland Botanical Gardens.
Click here for Northeast Shores recap of the event.
April 24, 2009
Richmond Heights Arbor Day Celebration - Tree Planting & Rain Garden Presentation / Planting
The City of Richmond Heights celebrated Arbor Day by planting a spring snow crabapple tree next to the Kiwanis Lodge in the Richmond Heights Community Park. The Richmond Heights Garden Club, celebrating their 40th Anniversary this year, donated the tree for the Arbor Day celebration planting.
Richmond Heights Arbor Day Tree Planting & Dedication
As part of the celebration, 8 Richmond Heights Key Club members helped add plants to keep the existing rain garden in front of the Kiwanis Lodge. The 300 square foot rain garden was planted in 2006 to help filter storm water runoff from the lodge roof and sidewalk before it enters local waterways and to provide native habitat for wildlife. The garden was in need of its annual maintenance, so mulch and several plants were added to the garden followed by a presentation by the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator on the benefits of rain gardens. Thanks to all of the garden club members, city staff, and key club students who helped with this great event!
Richmond Heights Key Club members help maintain and add plants to Kiwanis Rain Garden
May 9, 2009
Invasive Plant Pull Stewardship Event, Wildwood State Park in Cleveland
The 3rd annual invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) pull at Wildwood State Park in Cleveland was the best yet with 27 participants! This invasive plant out-competes native spring wildflowers and is not a good food source for wildlife. Alliaria petiolata is quickly taking over the Euclid Creek Wildwood State Park and has invaded the Rocky River, Vermilion River, Doan Brook, and Chagrin River areas.
While garlic mustard is a relatively easy plant to pull by hand, its two-year life cycle makes it difficult to eradicate. In the first season garlic mustard grows as a low growing ground cover and it in the second year grows tall and produces white flowers that need to be removed before seeds are produced. The garlic mustard second year growth was much less abundant than last summer's, so the group spent equal time removing garbage and spotting snakes and kingfishers in the park.
The great part about garlic mustard, aside from its pleasant garlicky aroma while pulling the plant, is that it is an edible plant and can be incorporated into many great recipes like garlic mustard pesto sauce. Friends of Euclid Creek member, Paulette Peluso, made an excellent garlic mustard egg salad that participants enjoyed.
This effort will continue annually until the Garlic Mustard seed bank is depleted, so get ready to help out next Spring.
Carol Ward, ODNR Naturalist, with a gigantic garlic mustard plant Common Garter Snake
Mmmm - Garlic Mustard Egg Salad!
June 2-4, 2009
Rain Garden Internship, Hawken Middle School, Lyndhurst
Eight, Eighth grade students at Hawken Middle School planted the first demonstration rain garden on school property in the Euclid Creek Watershed. Science teacher and environmental enthusiast, Peter Thomas, led the effort with the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator providing environmental education along the way.
The 200 square foot garden is located at the back of the property adjacent to the school's EcoGarden, an outdoor classroom constructed in 2007 to teach students about the environment and sustainability. The rain garden requires annual maintenance, so future classes can learn about the benefits of rain gardens, while splitting native plants to add to other parts of the EcoGarden, or to grow and learn about in the class room.
The three days consisted a tour of other rain gardens in Euclid Creek, a visit to Ohio Prairie Nursery to pick up the native plants for the garden and to hear about other important projects OPN is working on, and installing the garden.
Thanks to Hawken Middle School and Peter Thomas for making this model school rain garden project happen!
June 6, 2009
Rain Barrel Workshop in City of South Euclid
Our third Euclid Creek rain barrel workshop was held at Bexley Park in the City of South Euclid in partnership with the Friends of Euclid Creek and the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD).
49 people attended the workshop and made 50 barrels to take home and install. South Euclid even offered complimentary golf cart service to help participants get the rain barrels to their car if needed. Now that's service with a smile!
