Learn how to lessen the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality and coastal habitats during a two-day workshop presented by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

The workshop, May 18-19, will be held at the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant office in Brunswick, Ga.

Participants will learn about the impacts of stormwater runoff before designing a green infrastructure plan for their property. Green infrastructure and low impact development are management practices that naturally filter and store runoff, reducing the amount of pollution entering local waterways.

“Stormwater is best managed at its source and there are numerous opportunities for residents to do their part in protecting our ecosystems from stormwater pollution,” says Jessica Brown, stormwater specialist for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

Brown will identify the different types of pollutants entering Georgia’s waterways before teaching participants how to identify sources of pollution and calculate runoff.

Presentations by Kelly Hill, coastal resources specialist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Mark McClellan, regional specialist and forester with the Georgia Forestry Commission, will highlight low impact development practices and the benefits of stormwater management on a regional scale.

The afternoon will be spent designing a rain garden. Guidance on selecting native vegetation and creating a site-specific maintenance plan will be provided by EcoScapes Program Manager Keren Giovengo.

“Our goal is that participants will leave the workshop with enough information and skills to start considering solutions they could implement at home or in their community,” says Brown.

This workshop is offered as part of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s coastal stewards program, a series of conservation workshops designed to engage adults in activities that enhance understanding of issues impacting coastal communities and inspire stewardship of natural resources.

This workshop is offered at a special reduced fee of $20 thanks to funding from Georgia Power. Dinner on Friday night and lunch on Saturday is included. Registration is required by May 16. Contact Kayla Clark at 912-598-3345 or kayla270@uga.edu. More information is available here https://gacoast.uga.edu/events