Rain garden planned by Girl Scouts at Nashua Public Library
Rain garden planned by Girl Scouts at Nashua Public Library
May 03, 2023
Troop 51595 to provide plantings to attract butterflies
NASHUA, NH – Deciding to beautify a small plot behind the Nashua Public Library and take action to catch rainwater, provide a home to pollinators, and learn about engineering, Girl Scouts of Nashua Troop 51595 broke ground March 27 on a rain garden project. They finished the plot preparation on May 1, with Girl Scouts and parents working side by side.
The troop, co-led by Stacey Pominville and Jamie Teague, has 17 Girl Scouts in grades 3-8. They hosted the groundbreaking ceremony with a ribbon-cutting, snacks, and a reading by a representative from U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan’s office of a letter from the senator.
Pominville said the entire project is funded by Girl Scout Cookie proceeds and other donations, and will contain plantings to encourage butterflies and other pollinators to feed there. She said she stumbled upon the idea of a rain garden when trying to find a project that encompassed the many goals of the troop.
“The girls were super excited by the idea for a number of reasons,” she said. “Last year we completed our World of Water Journey as Brownies and this was great extension of the field work we were doing, given the environmental impact rain gardens have on our surface waters. Also, they really enjoyed the engineering aspect and the overall idea that location matters as we scoped out the land around the library. Lastly, they have always been fans of pollinators - we did a great unit on monarchs - scouting out Beaver Brook, counting eggs, developing a larvae of our own, etc., so this ties right into sustainability and participating in a Citizen Scientist project to promote the monarch as well as all pollinator populations.”
The project entailed more than they imagined. Pominville said they had to test for asbestos, since the city has some areas where fill was brought in from an old manufacturer of the hazardous material. Once they cleared that hurdle, they had to meet with library board of directors for approval.
“The girls presented their proposal to the board (an excellent public speaking opportunity) and the board voted then and there to approve our plan!” she said. “We brought in SOAK NH, a state-run program, which specializes in rain garden installations. We met with Rob Livingston to ensure that our location would be in the best location to impact runoff and surface water pollution. Lisa Loosigian, also from SOAK, will be on site to provide technical support as we dig in.”
Girl Scouts chose the library location because it has been so supportive of the troop. Pominville said the River Walk is a great feature in Nashua, so adding a beautification project should pull more people in to walk it. The garden will be maintained by the troop for the foreseeable future.
P&L Landscaping is donating three yards of fill, Home Depot has donated $200 in vouchers to buy stone for a berm wall in the back of the garden, and the mayor’s office donated $150 to cover the cost of the asbestos testing. The troop plans to buy plants from Sunny Valley Farms. Excess dirt generated by the plot preparation was donated to a Nashua resident.
Girl Scouts’ mission is to make the world a better place while building young women of courage, confidence, and character. The Girl Scouts of Troop 51595 are fulfilling that goal.
To join in that mission, see www.girlscoutsgwm.org.
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