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Health & Fitness

GreenWheaton Ribbon Cutting at the Conservation Landscaping Project in Downtown Wheaton

GreenWheaton Held a Ribbon-cutting at the Wheaton Triangle Conservation Landscape Garden On Tuesday, June 21, 2011

GreenWheaton held a ribbon-cutting at the Wheaton Triangle Conservation Landscape Garden, on June 21.

Members of GreenWheaton gathered at the one-year old conservation landscape garden across from the Mid-County Regional Services Center to celebrate its new non-profit status.

The garden was in full bloom with purple and white Cone Flowers (echinacea) and Blazing Star (liatris) in abundance at the feet of Delegate Al Carr, one of GreenWheaton's Board members.

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Ann English of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protections’ Rainscapes Program was present as well. Ms. English was instrumental in getting the garden installed last May with funding from DEP’s Rainscapes Program.

The garden is one of the many ways GreenWheaton plans on educating the public about some of the terrific programs in the County that are available to residents and businesses as the County moves towards becoming more sustainable in the years ahead.

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The garden uses native plants to absorb excess rain water and prevent it from draining directly into adjacent storm drains, which are often flooded with water during rain storms. The storm drains across from the Mid-County Regional Services Center are connected to the remains of an old stream that used to originate on the Westfield Mall property when it was still farmland in the 1940’s.

Approximately half of the storm water from the Mall property now drains into this small stream along with water from adjacent businesses and residential land. Older residents of the townhomes across from Best Buy can remember when crayfish still lived in the stream in the early 1980’s. Plans to correct excessive stormwater runoff to the creek are in process.

When Washington Property redevelops the Wheaton First Baptist Church property between Bally’s and the townhomes, they will install bio-retention filters that will slow stormwater runoff from the property and filter the water before returning it to the creek. Washington Property is expected to stabilize the creek banks as part of their restoration efforts, though final plans have yet to be approved.

Sponsors of this conservation landscape installation include the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Friends of Sligo Creek, Neighbors of Northwest Branch, Anacostia Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee, the All Eco Center/Speedy Signs and BuzzWord, Inc.

Following the ribbon cutting, a “Meet and Greet” was held at the All Eco Center. 

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