1. Training Homeowners In Atlanta on “Do It Yourself” Rain Gardens Rose Mary Seymour Engineering Extension Specialist UGA-Griffin Campus Ag Pollution Prevention Program Sponsored by P2AD of Georgia Kelley O’Brien Stormwater Education Coordinator Clean Water Campaign/ Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Atlanta Regional Commission

2. Partners for Educational Programs  Clean Water Campaign  Metro North Georgia Water Planning District  Local Engineering Departments  Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

3. Purpose of Educational Program  Public education and involvement  Improve on-site infiltration  Develop concepts that landscapes can provide environmental function  Connect homes and homeowners with stormwater impacts  Provides a positive activity rather than restrictions

4. Creating Public Participation  Clean Water Campaign Web Site  Press Releases  Water Utility Inserts  Article in local retail nursery newsletter  Good topic for non-growing season

5. Public Participation  Rain garden design described is suitable for small rain gardens that can deal with small impervious areas only  Not an engineering design seminar  Training includes recommendations on when to seek additional professional help Steep slopes, large impervious areas, potential for problems with neighbor

6. Seminar Program Format  1.5 hour training session  Introduction explain general stormwater issues improving on-site infiltration as solution  Step by step “How To” discussion What is a rain garden? Where and how is it created in the landscape? What plants are appropriate?  Short brochure of guidelines with a plant list given out at the meetings

7. Who Participated  280 people in 8 workshops  Master Gardeners and other gardeners  Professional landscape designers  Concerned citizens  Homeowners with water problems in their landscapes  Local government engineers and environmental officials

8. What is a Rain Garden?  An area in a man-made landscape that captures a shallow amount of water and holds it for a short time period  Runoff water is captured and infiltrated into the soil in an indented area where plants and soils utilize and filter the water  An attractive addition to a landscape

9. Continuing Programs  Demonstration rain garden to be established at Research and Education Garden of the UGA Griffin Campus  Rain gardens are being installed at several locations on the UGA campus in Athens  Another round of trainings will be held next winter  Develop more design oriented program for landscape industry  Develop training for rain water harvesting for homeowners