The last time we posted about Rainscaping opportunities through our partnership with the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District to offer the MSD Project Clear Rainscaping Small Grants Program, we gave you great news with numbers from the 2019-20 Round.
Due to current events surrounding the global pandemic, we moved to extend that previous program year through the Fall of 2020 and we are continuing to work with grantees getting their projects in the ground and to process their reimbursements.
We have plans to open the next round this Fall and are currently working to develop online resources that will replace the need for in-person orientations which were previously required. It is our hope that not only will this provide a safe path forward as we navigate very different circumstances in 2020, but that these resources will alleviate some of the challenges, including limited orientation spaces, the length of those orientations, as well as finding time to attend in person, for applicants in future years.
We are excited about the continued growth of the program and the impact it has had on the environment.
Rainscaping is any combination of plantings, water features, catch basins, permeable pavement and other activities that manage stormwater as close as possible to where it falls, rather than moving it someplace else. In addition to rain gardens and bioswales, a diverse landscape that includes trees, shrubs, perennials, mulch and amended soils intercepts and disperse rain as it falls, and allows more water absorption into the soil and by plants. Generally speaking, we are trying to slow the rain down, spread it out, and finally, soak it up!
The MSD Project Clear Rainscaping Small Grants program is geared toward private residences, community organizations, schools, churches, and other landowners within the specified MSD Project Clear Rainscaping Program Area. Materials for the 2020-2021 round will be made available in the Fall of 2020.
To learn more, or get on a list to receive updates regarding orientation registration and other key 2020-2021 information, email rainscaping@mobot.org or call (314) 577-0202 with your name, address and contact information.
Additionally, our Rainscaping work continued in the Deer Creek Watershed with "Round H", which recently awarded 24 grants after kicking off in February of 2020.
The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance has been facilitating a community-wide effort for over 10 years to protect and improve water quality in Deer Creek, with a focus on plant-based solutions. You can help by volunteering to assist with a rainscaping stewardship day, by installing rainscaping in your yard, or learning more about rainscaping.
To learn more about the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance, see maps of the watershed, and for programmatic updates, please visit: https://www.deercreekalliance.org/
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