Note: While Orcas Love Raingardens would like to install a raingarden at every school in Tacoma, certain sites may not be suitable due to geologic factors. Even in these cases, our program is committed to finding alternatives that allow students to engage with Green Infrastructure and learn about stormwater, natural solutions, and the connection to salmon and Southern Resident orcas. Options for participation in Orcas Love Raingardens include:
- Raingardens: Landscaping features that collect, absorb and filter stormwater runoff. Typically, a raingarden is a shallow, bowl-shaped depression containing compost-amended native soils and adapted plants. However, raingardens come in all shapes and sizes.
- Other Green Infrastructure: Other forms of Green Infrastructure that effectively manage stormwater by mimicking natural processes, and that can facilitate student learning. Examples include: rain barrels/cisterns, trees to increase canopy cover, green walls, green roofs and permeable pavement.
- Off-Site Green Infrastructure: A raingarden (or other form of Green Infrastructure) located at a nearby park, within safe walking distance of a school. Metro Parks Tacoma is open to collaborating with neighboring schools to provide access to raingardens on park property.
