I was thrilled when I heard about a possible rain garden at Alpena High School. The rain garden would be installed in the unused gravel portion of the AHS parking lot which is being rebuilt and resurfaced this summer. APS has no future use for this area. APS will incur no costs for the construction of the rain garden, which is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program through Huron Pines.

Stormwater carries pollutants like road salt, motor oils, and litter into local waterways via storm drains. This rain garden would capture and filter an estimated 445,000 gallons of stormwater. This will stop these pollutants from flowing directly into Thunder Bay which is the source of drinking water for Alpena.

Having a rain garden on the school campus is an invaluable learning experience for APS students. The students working with teachers can design and develop the area from the beginning. The possible benefits for students are those who are in 4H, Scouts, FFA, and students doing community service. It can even have community involvement with business sponsorships.

Wildflower gardens attract bees but so do flowering trees and common landscape shrubs. Wildflowers provide food for butterflies and many other native insects and birds.

Rain gardens are not wetlands and would never be designated as such as they do not retain water. There are those who are concerned it would turn into a wetland. The board members are able to pick what plants are used.

MARY O’NEILL,

Presque Isle