Stormwater Management

Proper Maintenance Keeps Rain Gardens Thriving

April 14, 2013

in Rain Gardens,Stormwater Management

by Kevin Beuttell

Traditionally, stormwater was viewed as a burden on the landscape. Water was typically taken away through channels and pipes as quickly as possible to avoid flooding on site. Today, we know water and ecological quality can be improved when water is allowed to infiltrate, using it as a resource where it falls. It is now widely understood that rain gardens use the natural capacities of soil and vegetation to retain and cleanse stormwater as it infiltrates. Appropriate maintenance activities that ensure these landscapes maintain their ornamental appearance and critical environmental functions are less well known, however. [click to continue…]

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In Poverty and In Wealth….Water Consciousness

April 14, 2013

in Stormwater Management,Sustainability

by Heather D Heimarck

I have always been a map gazer, letting my mind wander along the mountain ridges and rivers of the world. Recently, I have taken up a study on the history of cartography, how each map reflects a worldview, a “cosmology” of the planet. The connection between human habitation, expansion, and commerce to the winds and the global currents is now largely forgotten, our ability to travel is so unfettered, but in essence global currents are how the Europeans navigated past the Cape of Good Hope and the secrets of the Arabian Sea were revealed, leading to commerce and to the next sea, and the next. [click to continue…]

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Make a Splash with Native Wetland Perennials

April 14, 2013

by John Mark Courtney Plants are a key element to a balanced pond ecosystem. No matter how big or small the body of water may be, plants play an essential role in maintaining good water quality and a healthy balanced habitat. Some of the functions plants perform include bank and soil stabilization, nutrient uptake from [...]

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The Dirty Truth – Part 1

March 15, 2013

Concepts in mitigating site impacts when using heavy equipment Part 1 – Soil and Equipment by Walker Korby From the cab of even a small 6-ton diesel excavator, every site should look ecologically sensitive. These machines are designed to make a large difference in a short amount of time, so when it comes to changing [...]

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The Dirty Truth – Part 2

March 15, 2013

Concepts in mitigating site impacts when using heavy equipment Part 2 – Water Management by Walker Korby As any sandcastle builder knows, you can create the most elaborate shapes and contours with a substrate that has just enough moisture to stick together. But as soon as you add more water, all bets are off. Everyone [...]

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What’s New at Fourth Generation?

February 15, 2013

by R.P. Sokol The 2013 winter trade shows have brought some pleasant surprises to us at Fourth Generation Nursery.  The first is that many in the Landscape industry are beginning to “get it;” rainwater harvesting is finally starting to catch on. And second, an increasing number of professionals recognize that “Storm Water Management” means more [...]

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Weathering the Storm: Horticulture Management in Brooklyn Bridge Park in the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

January 15, 2013

by Rebecca McMackin Two months ago, Hurricane Sandy devastated coastal regions of New York and New Jersey. Much of Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) was underwater for four hours. Sandy was the second “100 year storm” in two years, and researchers at MIT say we should now expect such extreme weather events every three to twenty [...]

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Beautiful and Beneficial: Natural Swimming Ponds Offer Ecological Options

November 14, 2012

by Trevor Smith A low gurgle emerges from beneath the Mentha aquatica as clear water begins to make its way from the bog downstream between smooth boulders and over gravel. Liquid fingers catch the sun’s rays, bending them and throwing them in every direction. The blooms of iris, hemerocallis, and lobelia bob in the gentle [...]

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Bioretention Soils

March 15, 2012

by Tom Barry Stormwater runoff has become an increasing environmental concern as urbanization of our society has created massive areas of impervious surfaces that flood our storm drains and waterways with pollutant laden water. Stormwater management techniques are gaining popularity in urban environments to offset this “paved paradise” syndrome. One of the techniques that has [...]

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Roundtable Review: Sustainable Practices for Ecosystem Restoration

February 13, 2012

Sustainable Practices for Ecosystem Restoration was held at Wellesley College on January 19, 2012. Reviewed by Brandon Schmitt Nearly 60 people joined together at the beautiful Wellesley campus to attend a discussion focused on erosion control and stormwater management led by employees of Groundscapes Express. The site was a perfect setting for the discussion, as [...]

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