By Staff Reports
(Maui) – The County of Maui Department of Parks & Recreation is partnering with the West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative to offer a free rain garden classroom workshop followed by the installation of a demonstration rain garden at Wahikuli Wayside Park.
The free workshop will be held Friday, March 15 at Lahaina Civic Center from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. The classroom session will include detailed information for landscapers, designers, maintenance care providers and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of rain gardens.
On Saturday, March 16, a free hands-on training will be held at Wahikuli Wayside Park from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The training will include the installation of a demonstration rain garden at Wahikuli Wayside Park and will feature a variety of native plants, such as Akulikuli, Pohuehue, Naio Papa, ‘Ilima Papa, and Dwarf Naupaka. The plants are being donated by the County of Maui Department of Water Supply for the Wahikuli garden.
The public is invited to attend either, or both sessions; lunch will be provided for participants on Saturday.
A rain garden is a strategically located, low-lying area planted with native vegetation that intercepts runoff so pollutants can be captured and filtered. The technique is praised as being a low-tech, affordable means to mimic the way nature processes water. Rain gardens are increasingly being used by homeowners and municipalities to reduce the impact of storm water on near-shore waters.
“Once there were coastal marshlands on Maui that intercepted runoff before it damaged our reefs,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa. “That is one of the reasons why we approved the purchase of 64 acres of undeveloped coastal wetlands in Paukukalo and want to create miles of coastal parkland in West Maui. Maui County would not be the same without our coral reef ecosystem. This is one way that we can all work together to help keep that critical ecosystem healthy.”
Jeff Anderson, Parks District Supervisor for West Maui, said that the department is “happy to showcase this technology in the park. Since the rain garden will be located next to the new walking path, a lot of people are likely to see the garden, read the educational sign and feel good that we are doing a little extra to treat the shower runoff.”
According to Tova Callender, West Maui Watershed and Coastal Management Coordinator, pollutants such as hydrocarbons and metals from vehicles, nutrients, sediments and rubbish accumulate between storm events in urban areas. Impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots and roofs generate runoff and carry pollutants to the storm drain system which runs, untreated, to the ocean.
“It’s important that we integrate new ways to filter pollutants and increase water filtration to improver the health of coral reefs and the ocean, and rain gardens can help accomplish just that, by intercepting overland flow and improving the quality of runoff,” Callender said. “Our hope is that those who attend the workshop will be trained and inspired to create more rain gardens throughout Maui.”
The West Maui Ridge to Reef (R2R) Initiative is an all- encompassing approach across multiple agencies, organizations and jurisdictions to address adverse impacts to coral reefs in West Maui. Funding for the rain garden design, installation and training was provided by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program.
To register for the workshop or for more information, please contact Watershed Coordinator Tova Callender at ph. (808) 214-4239 or via email: Tova@westmauiR2R.com. Online: www.westmauiR2R.com.