Beautiful Gardens Do Beautiful Things!
Creating a beautiful garden to improve water quality, benefit pollinators, or protect your shoreline is what the Landscaping for Clean Water program is all about!
One of the Dakota SWCD’s programs for Dakota County residents is the Landscaping for Clean Water program which includes free educational classes, garden design courses, natural shoreline and garden maintenance workshops, and grants for homeowners that install a raingarden, native garden, or native shoreline planting. The goal of the Landscaping for Clean Water program is to teach residents how to beautify their yard while also protecting local water quality and providing habitat for pollinators.
Dakota County residency is not required to participate in the classes and workshops; however, grants are only available for Dakota County residents and Ramsey County residents within the Lower Mississippi River Watershed which includes the west side of the City of Saint Paul.
For a visual overview of the LCW program, please click on the image “Let’s Talk Landscaping for Clean Water”
on the right, or scroll down for additional program information and to REGISTER!
INTRO CLASS
The Introduction to Clean Water class focuses on general water quality practices of raingardens, native gardens, and shoreline stabilization.
We provide an overview of Minnesota’s watersheds and our local water quality challenges, providing beautiful and practical ways to reduce runoff pollutants from your yard that might be contributing to water quality issues, along with improving pollinator habitat.
The Intro to Clean Water class is FREE, and registration is open to everyone – Dakota County residency not required. You only need to attend or view the Intro to Clean Water class one time – no need to repeat in future years if you want to enroll in the Design Course!
This class is a pre-requisite for enrolling in the Design Course.
There are five Intro to Clean Water classes scheduled in 2024; three online via Zoom and
two in-person. Please register below:
| Day / Date | Location | Time | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, February 22 | Online via Zoom | 6:00 p.m. | Class Closed |
| Wednesday, March 13 | Online via Zoom | 6:00 p.m. | Class Closed |
| Tuesday, April 2 | In-person / Inver Grove Heights Veteran’s Memorial Community Center |
6:00 p.m. | Class Closed |
| Monday, April 29 | In-person / Lakeville Ritter Farm Park |
6:00 p.m. | Register Here |
| Thursday, June 6 | Online via Zoom | 6:00 p.m. | Register Here |
DESIGN COURSE
After completing the Introduction to Clean Water class, you are eligible to enroll in the Landscaping for Clean Water Design Course. While the Landscaping for Clean Water program is open to anyone, the $250 cost share grants are only available to Dakota County residents and Lower Mississippi River Watershed Maintenance Organization residents in Ramsey County.
The Landscaping for Clean Water Design Course helps residents like you create and install beautiful landscaping projects that are unique to your yard! This course is a great opportunity to learn about garden planning from the experts, whether you are interested in finding out about site design, plant selection, raingarden installation, or adding native plants to the landscape.
In 2024, the Design Course Online Learning Materials will be provided to all participants for project planning at home. In addition, we are offering five in-person Design Course options this year:
IN-PERSON DESIGN COURSE OPTIONS
- Monday/Wednesday – March 25/27
Apple Valley / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. - Tuesday/Thursday – April 16/18
Burnsville / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. - Friday – May 10
Mendota Heights / 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. - Monday/Monday – May 13/20
Rosemount / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. - Tuesday/Thursday – June 25/27
Eagan / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
There is a $25.00 registration fee for the Design Course that includes a copy of the Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens book, a Design Folder including aerial property maps and design tools, online instruction materials and one-on-one help.
Are you a returning Design Course participant? Register again for the Design Course and the FEE is WAIVED!
APPLY FOR A $250 GARDEN GRANT!
At the end of the Design Course you will have a complete garden project planned and ready to install. You then have the opportunity to apply for a $250 cost share grant, funded by Dakota County watershed organizations. The grant (paid at completion of project) includes in-person site visits at your property and technical assistance from our staff available to you throughout the installation process.
The 2024 grants will be awarded in three rounds, as follows:
| 2024 | Application Date | Project Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | May 1, 2024 | July 26, 2024 |
| Round 2 | May 29, 2024 | August 23, 2024 |
| Round 3 | July 10, 2024 | October 4, 2024 |
NOTE: The Introduction to Clean Water Class is a pre-requisite for enrolling in the Design Course.
Design Course registrations made before the Intro Class is taken will be cancelled and the registration fee returned.
Register for 2024 Classes Below
| Design Course Option | Date | Location | Time | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Materials Only | Ongoing | Anywhere | At your leisure | Register Here |
| In-person Class (w/online materials) | March 25 & 27 | Apple Valley Municipal Center | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Class Closed |
| In-person Class (w/online materials) | April 16 & 18 | Burnsville City Hall | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Class Full |
| In-person Class (w/online materials) | May 10 | Mendota Heights Fire Station | 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Register Here |
| In-person Class (w/online materials) | May 13 & 20 | Rosemount Steeple Center | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Register Here |
| In-person Class (w/online materials) | June 25 & 27 | Eagan City Hall | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Register Here |
NATURAL SHORELINE WORKSHOP
Do you own a shoreline in Dakota County? The Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a Natural Shoreline Workshop in collaboration with the Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRWMO). We will show you how a natural shoreline installed with native plants can protect your shoreline, beautify your property, and provide habitat for pollinators and aquatic animals. We’ll talk about the process to install such a project, necessary permits, as well as technical assistance and grants to make it a reality. There is no charge to attend this workshop.
In-person Natural Shorelines Workshop
Monday, April 8
Thompson Park Dakota Lodge, West St Paul
1200 Stassen Lane
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Registration Closed
GARDEN MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP
Join us for a Garden Maintenance workshop that will provide season specific information on how to maintain and promote the health, performance, and beauty of your garden. The Garden Maintenance Workshop applies to raingarden, native garden, and native shoreline planting projects and will be held live via Zoom.
2024 Maintenance Workshop
Online Via Zoom – Tuesday, April 30th
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. with time for questions after the presentation
The Garden Maintenance Workshop is provided FREE and open to all – Dakota County residency is not required.
THANK YOU TO OUR WMO PARTNERS
