Oregon Environmental Council and OSU Extension to Host Rain Garden Training Workshop in Eugene

EUGENE, Ore.—May 26, 2009—Oregon State University Extension Service, Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Environmental Council will be hosting a rain garden training workshop in Eugene to help gardeners learn the skills needed to design, build and maintain rain gardens and serve as local resources to other community members interested in building rain gardens.

The rain brings many benefits for watersheds and residents. But it can also be a bane for both if it carries pollutants or excessively floods our local streams.  Capturing, controlling and filtering some of this stormwater runoff in rain gardens is one way to help beautify our landscapes while we improve the health of our watersheds. A rain garden is a shallow, landscaped depression where you can direct runoff from your roof, driveway and other impervious surfaces on your property. It can then soak into the ground naturally rather than running off into storm drains.

WHAT: Rain Gardens - Landscaping for clean water & healthy streams
WHEN: Wednesday, June 10th, 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
WHERE: Lane Community College, Center for Meeting and Learning, 4000 E 30th Ave., Eugene, OR 97405
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?: Gardeners, landscape design professionals, and others
PRICE: Cost: $30 registration fee includes training materials and lunch. Please register by Friday, June 5. Seating priority will be given to those willing to work with OSU as rain garden representatives and provide assistance to local communities in which they live.

For more information and to register: Visit www.oeconline.org/stormwater or call Megan Kleibacker, Oregon Sea Grant (541) 737-8715 / Teresa Huntsinger, Oregon Environmental Council (503) 222-1963 ex. 112.

The workshop is presented in with funding from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

About the Oregon Environmental Council
The Oregon Environmental Council safeguards what Oregonians love about Oregon – clean air and water, an unpolluted landscape and healthy food produced by local farmers. For 40 years we’ve been a champion for solutions to protect the health of every Oregonian and the health of the place we call home. Our vision for Oregon includes solving global warming, protecting kids from toxics, cleaning up our rivers, building sustainable economies, and ensuring healthy food and local farms. Find out more at www.oecoline.org.