A bioswale, installed at the Oak Park Conservatory in May 2015, has been hard at work collecting and filtering run off water from the street.  Native Illinois plant species are thriving in this environment which was partially funded by a grant from Com Ed and Openlands. A bioswale was also installed at Stevenson Park as part of the 2019 renovation project.

Rain gardens were installed at the Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center, Carroll Park and at Euclid Square Park. Similar to a bioswale, a rain garden is planted with deep-rooted native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs that filters storm water runoff by removing nutrients, sediments and pollutants before it enters our groundwater and waterways.

Learn about more about rain gardens here.