Residents plant second stage of rain garden

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — Volunteers joined together to enhance the township’s sustainability by completing the second stage of a rain garden landscape plan on June 25.

The community residents together dedicated more than 60 volunteer hours to bring the second stage of the rain garden to fruition.

“We could not have done it without the support of our volunteers,” said Laurel Von Gerichten, Ocean Township Environmental Commission member and lead on the rain garden initiative.

Rain gardens capture rainwater from downspouts or impermeable asphalt and allow it time to soak into the ground instead of running off into the storm-water system and nearby creeks. Rain gardens can improve water quality and help prevent flooding. In addition, rain gardens promote environmental stewardship and community pride, provide habitat for wildlife and native plants, and moderate air temperatures through evaporation.

More than 20 residents representing the township’s Green Team, Environmental Commission, Garden Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts along with individual residents came out to support the township’s sustainability efforts.

The rain garden landscape plan has five stages. The first stage, the rain garden bed, was completed in mid spring. The second stage, or Lowland Habitat, was installed with one tree, 35 shrubs, 14 grasses and 65 perennials, all native to Monmouth County.

“The rain garden was constructed in large part by the Environmental Commission’s quest to become a sustainable municipality,” Von Gerichten said.

The Ocean Township Garden Club will maintain the rain garden, which will offer a changing landscape as the plants grow, flower, fruit and change color in the fall.