Gardeners can pick up some water-conscious design ideas during the next installment of the online Winter/Spring Speaker Series, hosted by the Friends of Napanee River and Friends of Salmon River on Tuesday, May 18 at 7 p.m.
Olivia Hughes is the Stormwater Project Coordinator for Quinte Conservation and she will address springtime gardens and how to manage the runoff on a property. The online discussion will cover topics such as the impacts of human activities and runoff on our watersheds, and how the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan works. Hughes will explain the importance of low impact development, efforts to protect local water quality, and what homeowners can do on their properties. Attendees will learn about practical ways to slow and capture runoff, conserve water, and be more resilient to the effects of flooding and drought. Water-conscious landscaping ideas and tips will be the main topic, with examples from the local watershed and across Ontario. The talk will include steps to design a rain garden, how to source and select native plants, and where landowners can get support to build their own projects.
As the stormwater project coordinator for Quinte Conservation, Hughes works to support municipalities and other local stakeholders in improving stormwater management around the Bay of Quinte. One of her interests is in Low Impact Development, which deals with stormwater at the individual lot level, and she holds an International Green Infrastructure Certificate as well as a BASc in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University. She grew up in the Salmon River watershed, steps away from Beaver Lake.
The event is free, via Zoom, and will be available on a YouTube link afterward. To register in advance, go to wwwfriendsnapaneeriver.ca under the NEWS tab. For more information, contact info@friendsnapaneeriver.ca.