Timberlane Rain Garden

Timberlane Middle School is the latest Community Conservation project completed in the school district. TMS teacher Greg Hunter noticed that every time it rained, puddles would form in front of the school. In winter, the puddles would freeze. Some affectionately called the area “Lake Timberlane” or the “Timberlane ice rink.”

School officials were concerned that the area could be a safety hazard. For the 2018-2019 school year Mr. Hunter became a Teacher-In-Residence at The Watershed Institute and assembled a proposal to have students solve the puddling issue with a green infrastructure solution. When FoHVOS heard about the idea, we worked with Mr. Hunter to obtain grant funding from Janssen Pharmaceuticals for a rain garden.  StewardGreen, a professional firm who specialize in drainage solutions helped us to design an extensive bioswale.  A swale is the sunken space inside gently sloped sides that collects and concentrates storm water runoff and recharges the ground water.

FoHVOS Stewardship Director Mike Van Clef Ph.D. directed ecological aspects of the project and Nectar Landscape designed planting plans to ensure beauty and ecological value. The project incorporates native plants, grasses and trees to provide wildlife and pollinator habitat.

The project was carefully coordinated with TMS Principal Nicole Gianfredi, HVRSD STEM Supervisor Dr. Vicky Pilitsis, and TMS STEM Teacher Grace Rarich. Students were involved in all aspects of the project. Grace Rarich’s class worked with FoHVOS, StewardGreen, and Nectars on all TMS onsite education, planting, and subsequent plant labeling and identification.  “The rain garden project provided a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with our community,” shared Principal Gianfredi. “It’s exciting to see how the students can take ownership of the garden. Everyone is so enthusiastic that we are planning more FoHVOS Community Conservation projects to our courtyard and basins where we will restore more areas to native plantings,” Gianfredi also noted.