HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2010-10-29 Rain Garden
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Irish Grandfield
Senior Planner
igrandfield@leesburgva.gov
703-772-2766
Volunteers to Install Rain Garden at Freedom Park on
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Leesburg, VA (October 29, 2010) – The Town of Leesburg’s Watershed Committee is seeking
volunteers to help install a rain garden at Freedom Park in Leesburg on Saturday, November 13,
2010.
A rain garden is a landscaped area that collects rainfall and stormwater runoff from impervious
surfaces such as parking lots and rooftops and filters pollutants from the runoff before it drains
into local streams. On the surface, a rain garden looks like any other landscaped area, but it is
different in three key ways. First, rain gardens are located in low areas, or depressions, so that
stormwater is intercepted before flowing into storm sewers or streams. Secondly, a rain
garden features native plants that absorb and transform stormwater pollutants. Finally, the soil
in rain gardens is engineered to detain stormwater runoff long enough for the plants to absorb
the pollutants.
On Saturday, November 13, 2010, volunteers will establish the rain garden by planting native
trees, shrubs and perennials. Work will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will continue until about 12
noon. To sign-up as a volunteer or for more information on the project, please contact Joe
Coleman with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy at jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org or 540-554-
2542.
The rain garden at Freedom Park is the result of a partnership of the Loudoun Wildlife
Conservancy, the Leesburg Watershed Committee, the Leesburg Department of Parks &
Recreation and the Leesburg Department of Public Works. Funding for the Leesburg rain
garden was donated by the Dulles Greenway, through their annual Drive for Charity
(www.dullesgreenway.com/drive-for-charity.html). Design of the Leesburg rain garden was
provided by Dewberry’s Leesburg office (www.dewberry.com).
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