Wednesday, April 28, 2021 — 7:30 pm
Speaker: Nancy Gilbert
After a winter of lower-than-normal rainfall, the Bay Area is again facing drought. How can we water our gardens and keep our watersheds healthy under these increasingly common conditions?
In a presentation illustrated with many photographs and graphics, Nancy Gilbert will explain the principles and benefits of rainwater harvesting, including a wide range of Best Management Practices and rainfall bio-retention strategies. She will present an overview of watersheds, the rain cycle, the impacts of human development on watershed health, and how to mitigate these negative human impacts. Her detailed presentation will cover:
- above- and below-ground rainwater storage methods
- Low Impact Development rain harvesting strategies to slow, spread, and sink rainfall and storm water runoff and prevent soil erosion
- principles, planning, and construction of rain gardens, dry wells, bio-swales, berms, and basins
- planting zones and the appropriate native plants for rain gardens and bio-swales
- resources for further self-education on these topics.
Nancy Gilbert has an MS degree in science education. She is a long-time Redbud Chapter CNPS member, is currently her chapter’s Horticulture Committee Chair, and was also a member of the book committee that created and published the Redbud chapter’s two books on the wildflowers and the trees and shrubs of Nevada and Placer counties. Nancy and her husband have been implementing regenerative forestry and gardening practices on their 13 acres of woodland near Grass Valley for over 20 years. They also owned and operated Far West Bulb Farm, which specialized in growing California native bulbs.
Our CNPS East Bay speaker programs will be presented as online meetings until it is once again safe to gather in person. If you have questions, contact Sue at programs@ebcnps.org.
