by C. Eliana Brown, RORG Director Did you know that RORG is beneficial for its red oak tree? Before the rain garden was installed, the oak had “wet feet” during storms, preventing this magnificent tree from thriving. People passing through also used to experience wet feet when rainwater flooded the sidewalk. In fact, there wasContinueContinue reading “Giving Tuesday 2024”
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The Intersection of Engineering and Nature at the Red Oak Rain Garden
By Joe Hinsberger, RORG Sustainability Intern Throughout my life, I’ve sought to connect with nature and have often thought about how to center my life around it after college. As I got older, I discovered a passion for designing things, and I realized I actually didn’t mind math, which led me to pursue Civil andContinueContinue reading “The Intersection of Engineering and Nature at the Red Oak Rain Garden”
Illuminating Art in Nature
The Red Oak Rain Garden (RORG) Extension Team presents Illuminating Art in Nature! During the last week in October, the rain garden is nature-themed art venue thanks to a partnership among several campus and community departments and organizations. Illuminating Art in Nature celebrates art, sustainability, and natural cycles. Centering student talent and creativity, this eventContinueContinue reading “Illuminating Art in Nature”
Summer 2024 Extension Intern: Maddy Craft
By Maddy Craft, Extension Intern Another successful summer at the Red Oak Rain Garden has come to an end, and I’m thrilled to have been part of it once again. This summer started with significant changes for me, most notably graduating with high honors in May with a BS in Sustainable Design and minors inContinueContinue reading “Summer 2024 Extension Intern: Maddy Craft “
Summer 2024 IISG Stormwater Intern: Erin Schimenti
By Erin Schimenti, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Stormwater Intern Spring of 2024 marked a year since I began working with the amazing RORG team. This was a year full of great opportunities and new experiences, and I learned so much about rain gardens, native plants, and green stormwater infrastructure. I was very happy to learn thatContinueContinue reading “Summer 2024 IISG Stormwater Intern: Erin Schimenti”
Looking back on my RORG experience: Abbey Ascolani
By Abbey Ascolani, RORG Communications Coordinator On a recent sunny morning in July, I was running my first 10K race along the Lakefront Trails of Chicago when I saw them. While powering through the final two miles of the course, I noticed an array of plants lining the trail and was pleasantly surprised that IContinueContinue reading “Looking back on my RORG experience: Abbey Ascolani”
Maddy’s Senior Capstone Project: The New Lincoln Quad
As a senior in Sustainable Design at Illinois, I spent my last semester as an undergrad focused on my Capstone project, which acted as a culmination of everything I have learned in my college education. I independently chose my problem topic, researched it, and designed a solution. With all of my passion and experience withContinueContinue reading “Maddy’s Senior Capstone Project: The New Lincoln Quad “
Rain Garden Rumble 2024
To mark the FIFTH YEAR of our competitive native plant tournament, formerly known as “Mulch Madness”, we invite you to get ready for… RAIN…GARDEN…RUMMBBLLLEEEEEEE!!!! Our Rain Garden Rumble tournament takes an educational spin on a sports classic, teaching people about native plants, their benefits, and how to include them in home gardens. Including rain gardens,ContinueContinue reading “Rain Garden Rumble 2024”
RORG’s 2023 Year in Review
By the RORG Team Welcome to RORG’s Year in Review — our fourth one! Before we start, we’d like to express our gratitude to all of the volunteers that gift us their time and talent. We also thank University of Illinois Extension, Extension’s Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment program, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant for their leadership and UIUC Facilities & Services forContinueContinue reading “RORG’s 2023 Year in Review”
Giving Tuesday 2023
by C. Eliana Brown, RORG Director On November 28, the Red Oak Rain Garden will join millions around the world by participating in the GivingTuesday global generosity movement. We celebrate this event with a campaign to provide signage for the rain garden and our ongoing effort to grow the RORG Maintenance Endowment. RORG Signage WeContinueContinue reading “Giving Tuesday 2023”
Red Oak Rain Garden 