Protecting Our Watershed

Rum Creek Raingarden & Buffer Zone

What is Rainscaping?

Our Rockford Environmental Stewardship Team (R.E.S.T.) is in charge of identifying banks of the Rogue River or Rum Creek that are at risk of erosion or pollution from stormwater runoff.

After identifying the ideal location, the team works with local partners like LGROW and EGLE to fund raingarden projects. When raingardens are installed for the purpose of watershed restoration—such as preventing erosion or capturing untreated rainwater before it enters the river—it is called “rainscaping.”

Although our team is currently working on Rainscaping at the Community Cabin near Rum Creek, we would love to work with you to advise on Rainscaping in your own yard! Raingardens on residential properties help capture rainwater in the deep roots of native plant species. Plus, they are beautiful habitats for butterflies, bees, and wildlife!

Our Community Cabin Rainscaping Project…

The Rockford Community Cabin sits alongside our beautiful Rum Creek. When it rains, untreated rainwater can fall off the cabin roof and streets, resulting in contamination of Rum Creek water and erosion of its banks.

In 2025, our team hosted a series of eco-stewardship workdays (thank you, volunteers!) to create a raingarden that serves as a “riparian buffer” between the cabin and the river.

Many Thanks….

This work was performed in coordination and collaboration with Rogue River Watershed Partners, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Rockford Garden Club, the City of Rockford, and the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW).

A special thanks to our incredible volunteers that rolled up their sleeves to make this possible!

Click the words below to learn more about this Raingarden and stream buffer zone.

  • The area near the Community Cabin slopes toward Rum Creek and is relatively close to the water. The soil is sandy and compacted and produces very little vegetation, except scraggly grasses and low-growing invasives; it has been routinely mowed. Due to these factors, stormwater draining across this area picks up pollutants in its path – sediment, pet waste, litter, etc. Picking up speed moving from high to low elevation, the stormwater can also cause erosion where it enters Rum Creek, contributing sediment to the creek and destabilizing the bank.

    Each pollutant degrades water quality differently:

    1. Sediment covers healthy substrates used by fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates and can damage fish gills (sensitive cold-water fish, such as trout, are unable to tolerate these conditions)

    2. Pet waste adds bacteria that can make the stream unsafe for human and pet use

    3. Trash can ensnare animals, cover substrate, contribute bacteria, and break down into microplastics that may be consumed by animals

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  • Why native plants?

    1. Native plants slow down, spread out, and soak up stormwater and pollutants before they can enter water bodies, such as creeks. Native plants, unlike lawn grass, have long roots that can take up an abundance of stormwater while also anchoring the soil in place and staving off erosion.

    2. Native plants provide food and habitat for native animals including pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, predators of pests (spiders and some beetles), and birds. In this way, they support a healthy ecosystem.

    3. Native plants also support healthy air by removing carbon and replacing it with oxygen.

    4. Beyond supporting water and air quality, and native animals, native plants offer a source of aesthetic enrichment for the community and promote psychological wellness.

  • How can community members become involved?

    We host monthly Eco-Stewardship Workdays that include removing invasives, site prep, planting native plants, and more. If you are interested in working with us to promote healthy ecosystems and enrich our community by allowing natural systems to flourish, please reach out to us at RockfordSusCom@Gmail.com or by attending an event on our public calendar!

  • All of these plants are native species to Michigan and contribute to a healthy ecosystem.

    Forbs (aka native wildflowers and broadleaves)

    • Big Leaf Aster (x6)

    • Black Eyed Susan (x8)

    • Blue Lobelia (x12)

    • Butterfly Weed (x8)

    • Golden Rod - Big Zag (x6)

    • Cardinal Flower (x8)

    • Columbine (x14)

    • Coneflower Showy (x4)

    • Coneflower Purple (x12)

    • Gentiana andrewsii (x6)

    • New England Aster (x4)

    • Soloman 's Seal (x4)

    • Wild Geranium (x11)

    • Wild Ginger (x6)

    • Wood Violet (x6)

    • Bottlebush grass (x4)

    Grasses

    • Prairie dropseed (x15)

    • Penn Sedge (x4)

    • Wood Wedge (x4)

    Ferns

    • Maidenhair fern (x2)

    • Ostrich fern (x6)

Photos and information about each species is coming soon!