The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will install a rain garden this summer near the duck pond on the grounds of Wellesley Town Hall. An unveiling of the new garden is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., July 13. The NRC has partnered with the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition to develop a Low Impact Development project that includes the rain garden, a porous paver system and other sustainable landscaping features. Together, these elements can keep stormwater from polluting the pond while creating a wildlife habitat for visitors to enjoy.

“A rain garden works like a sponge to absorb stormwater and filter out pollutants before releasing them into nearby waterways,” says NRC Environmental Education Coordinator Laura Kiesel. “When it rains, water picks up oil, pet waste, pesticides and other contaminants and carries them into lakes, rivers and ponds. A well-placed rain garden can minimize or prevent this pollution.”

Kiesel says that the duck pond at Wellesley Town Hall was chosen for this project because it is highly visible. “It is our hope that visitors to the pond will learn more about rain gardens and their role in protecting the environment, and maybe plant them on their own properties,” she says.

Location: 525 Washington St., Wellesley. For more information, call 781-431-1019 x2294 or visit WellesleyMA.gov/pages/wellesleyma_nrc/index.