Train to be a Master Rain Gardener!

Learn to design and install your own rain garden and be the rain garden expert in your neighborhood. Master Rain Gardeners help friends and neighbors to learn about, design, and plant rain gardens.

What is a rain garden? Rain gardens work with nature to collect and filter rainwater that runs off impervious surfaces like rooftops and driveways. Impervious surfaces lead to increases in surface runoff and often result in increased flooding and stream bank erosion. As water travels over impervious surfaces, it also has the potential to pick up pollutants. Polluted stormwater runoff enters our rivers and lakes and is one of the leading threats to water quality in the United States. Rain gardens naturally manage stormwater by infiltrating precipitation and allowing it to soak into the ground rather than sending it directly to storm sewers and nearby streams untreated.

The Master Rain Gardener Program will teach you how to manage rainwater in your own yard. We will have an orientation meeting on April 15, followed by a series of online courses which must be completed by May 17. You are able to complete the courses at your convenience within the allotted course time. Summit SWCD staff will provide you with feedback on your weekly homework assignments and quizzes. There will be a series of three self-driven visits to local rain garden sites starting on May 20th. You must attend two out of the three events.

The self-driven events are:

• May 20th, Liberty Park pavilion, 9999 Liberty Road, Twinsburg, Ohio, 44087
• May 27th, Barlow Community Center, 41 South Oviatt Street, Hudson, Ohio. 44236
• June 3rd, Twinsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant Raingardens, 10231 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg, Ohio, 44087
  (Meet at Twinsburg Council Chambers, 10075 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg, Ohio, 44087, then travel to Wastewater Treatment Plant.)

Upon completion of the course, you will receive your Master Rain Gardener certificate. Completion of the course includes installing your own rain garden, or helping to install or maintain a community rain garden as a volunteer.


Cost of the class is $25.00
Registration and payment must be received by April 10th.
Accepted forms of payment include cash/check.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!!

Please call 330-926-2452 for more information and any questions that you may have.
ORIENTATION MEETING: Wednesday, April 15th Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Location: The Summit County Russ Pry Building
1180 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44301
FINAL WRAP UP MEETING: Wednesday, June 10th Time: TBA
Location: The Summit County Russ Pry Building
1180 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44301
We are grateful to Washtenaw County Michigan Water Resources Commissioner’s Office, Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District, Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Chagrin River Watershed Partners, for resources and assistance with this program.