HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Holland Board of Public Works is set to host a series of workshops and events at Holland Energy Park for Earth Day. The events will focus on the theme of conserving water and improving water quality by reduction of stormwater runoff.
To kick off Earth Day, students from the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District (OAISD) Careerline Tech Center’s Natural Resource Management class, led by instructor Avril Wiers, will be joining HEP staff and City of Holland Parks & Recreation staff to plant trees and install rain gardens at HEP in the public park area, to showcase water-efficient landscaping choices.
These installations will be complemented with a rain garden “Brunch and Learn” workshop taught by Vern Stephens of Designs by Nature LLC, which will educate participants on how to design, install, and maintain a native plant rain garden in their yard at home.
Along with the rain garden workshop, the BPW has partnering with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) to host a rain barrel workshop at the Energy Park. Rain barrels capture stormwater from downspouts and collect it for later use; watering lawns, gardens, and trees. HBPW residential water customers are eligible for a reduced cost rain barrel during this workshop.
“Lake Michigan is an excellent water source for the City of Holland’s drinking water,” said Jim Vande Wege, HBPW Water Treatment Plant Superintendent. “We need to be good stewards of ourwater usage to ensure an abundant supply of high quality water is available for the generationsthat will follow us.”
For those looking to spend their Earth Day a bit differently, BPW will offer an Earth Day energy park tours from 3 to 4:15 p.m., April 22, 2019. This tour will highlight the sustainability and efficiency of the energy park; the newly installed rain gardens; the native ecosystem surrounding the power plant; and a Q & A with a BPW environmental regulatory specialist about pollution, permitting and air quality.
Learn more and register for workshops or tours by visiting hollandenergypark.com/events, or call Hannah at (616) 355-1213 or email her at hmico@hollandbpw.com.
