Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Siwanoy Elementary School PTA. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.

Thanks to the innovation and efforts of the Outdoor Classroom and Sustainability Committees, on Monday, a stormwater mitigation garden was planted by two 4th Grade classes at Siwanoy Elementary School.

The garden is designed to absorb excess stormwater using native plants like summersweet, witch-alder, sweet gale, red osier dogwood, pussy willow, groundseltree, and winterberry. These shrubs were sourced from Dropseed Native Landscapes in Long Island and Weaver Gardens in Larchmont. Site prep labor was donated by Siwanoy alumni 6th graders, as well as Mario Bulfamante & Sons Landscaping. Design and plant selection was provided by Pelham-based landscape ecologist Dominque Biondi.

This kind of green infrastructure project captures rain where it lands to slow the flow of rainwater, which will reduce flooding and remove water pollution. Native plants require less maintenance because they have evolved to thrive in the environment they are from.

With flooding issues in the Pelham area being a great concern to this and surrounding communities, Siwanoy Elementary School’s PTA is proud to be addressing this issue in a meaningful, educational and beautiful way.

“We are excited to involve our students in planting and learning hands-on so they may realize their agency to solve these environmental issues that affect their school and neighborhood,” says Outdoor Classroom lead Anna Simonsen-Meehan. “And there is hope that by spreading the word of this initiative, it may be replicated throughout our town as well as nearby communities.”

This coming Saturday, April 20th, a ribbon cutting will occur at 10am to celebrate Earth Day and officially reveal this innovative effort. Siwanoy PTA invites the public to attend to view the garden and learn about its environmental benefits.

In a separate press release, EcoPel said:

At Siwanoy Elementary School, 54 holes were being dug by EcoPel’s volunteer community partner in local ecosystem restoration action, Mario Bulfamante & Sons Landscaping. They prepared the way for Siwanoy Elementary School students to plant more than ten different native species of pollinator-loving flowering shrubs. Part of a stormwater mitigation planting plan designed to slow and spread the flow of rain before entering stormwater drains, the project will not only support pollinators, but help raise awareness about nature-based solutions to improve local waterways in Pelham’s location in the heart of the Hutchinson River and Long Island Sound watersheds.

A healthy yard provides wildlife habitat, cleans the water and air, and builds rich soils. Planting native plants for pollinators is one impactful action individuals, school children and whole communities can take to collectively help build healthier, biodiverse, and more resilient cities.

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