DC’s Department of Energy and Environment has partnered with the Alliance to maintain over 350 public Green Stormwater Infrastructure practices otherwise known as Best Management Practices, or BMPs for short. These BMPs can be found along roadways, on school campuses, and in parks and recreation centers. The Alliance works with contractors who have the technical training to maintain these specialized landscaping installations.

Members of the Clean Decisions crew can be seen here replanting a bioretention garden at The Park at LeDroit.

This past fall, members of the Rock Creek community joined in the efforts working alongside DOEE, the Alliance, and Rock Creek Conservancy to help replant six bioretention gardens in their neighborhood. They weeded, replanted, and learned how the gardens reduce stormwater.

Neighbors in the Rock Creek Community gather.

DOEE staff and ANC member review planting plans.

Volunteers plant lobelia in a bioretention garden.

These plantings provide the Alliance a chance to engage with the community while encouraging a sense of ownership over their local Green Infrastructure. To learn more about Green Infrastructure practices and how they help to reduce stormwater, visit the Alliance’s Stormwater Management page.

The Alliance’s Jordan Gochenaur demonstrates the proper way to install plants.

A volunteer is hand weeding to ensure no natives are removed in the process.

One of the three groups posing in front of a BMP showing off all their hard work.