The Green Infrastructure Coalition led a tour this week showcasing projects designed to trap runoff, the leading cause of water quality problems in the state.
Artist Holly Ewald attended the tour. She’s a part of a group that worked with students at Reservoir Avenue Elementary School in Providence to transform a dirt patch into a rain garden.
“They came up with an idea using clay and cardboard and straws,” said Ewald. “Then if you look at the final structure, you can see a total connection between what the kids’ design and ideas and the final structure that was built.”
The garden’s soil and native plants will absorb rainwater and melting snow, preventing runoff and other pollution from draining into neighboring ponds. The Green Infrastructure Coalition considers this type of project as a way to absorb heavy downpours that are expected to become more frequent and intense with climate change.
