Environment: Plant to minimize flooding

This season, as we witness increasingly heavy rain and other strong weather patterns, we can play a role in ecological healing. Often, the worst flooding occurs in paved streets or other areas with impermeable surfaces. By instead planting “micro-forests” of trees, rain gardens and other pockets of green landscape features, we minimize flooding. We also maximize the absorption of water into the earth. This benefits us all later in the year when temperatures rise and we may see scarce rainfall. The more water seeping into aquifers during rainstorms, the healthier the plants, animals, humans and land will be later on.

So let’s forgo unnecessary pavement in our community and increase the use of native trees and shrubs. Rain gardens beautify our public areas and attract birds (a delight) while reducing flooding. This is more than a “nice-to-have” neighborhood feature, it’s a practical flood-prevention solution. We can also embrace the use of native plant rain gardens in our own backyards, which will provide habitat for native wildlife. While we’re at it, we might set up a rainwater catchment system (often a simple rain barrel does the trick) to store all this falling water for a drier day.

Rebecca Canright, Rockport