Braun Building Rain Garden

This project transformed underutilized campus land into this Lakehead Stormwater Management Demonstration and Engagement site to reduce urban stormwater runoff, protect Lake Superior water quality, and provide habitat for butterflies and insects while promoting student and community engagement and acting as an experiential learning site.

11 undergraduate and graduate students participated in a 3-part workshop series led by EcoSuperior and Lakehead University, focused on stormwater management, native plants, and rain garden site assessment and design. The students then made candidate designs that contributed to the final design. 

This project was a partnership between Lakehead University Office of Sustainability, Lakehead University Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, and EcoSuperior Environmental Programs.

Infographic about the rain garden

Beautiful monarch catterpillar enjoying the garden Monarch caterpillars munch on the swamp milkweed. After a week of munching, all that was left were bare stalks! Next year we plan to add more milkweed to satisfy their hunger and increase habitat.

 

Student volunteers helping maintain the gardenMaintenance is important! Each year we monitor the growth of the rain garden and the health of its plants. In it's first year, the plants more than doubled in size and seem very happy. Students help weed and mulch the rain garden annually.

 

 

 

 

Photo of the Rain Garden outside the Braun Building