ROOT FOR NATURE
AQUALIS’ mission to inspire change by preserving and protecting our most precious resource, water, led to the 2019 launch of AQUALIS’ ROOT FOR NATURE program. Established to combat the declining pollinator population, ROOT FOR NATURE strives to improve local water quality and bring awareness to multifaceted water issues, including how pollinator health impacts water quality. Through this program, AQUALIS partners with customers to design, implement and maintain pollinator gardens within and around stormwater assets.
At AQUALIS, We ROOT FOR NATURE
With over 20 years in the stormwater management industry, AQUALIS identified an opportunity to promote environmental health beyond stormwater control measures and best management practices. By utilizing otherwise void green spaces around stormwater systems, including retention and detention ponds, AQUALIS can optimize the environmental benefits of stormwater assets by converting sections of traditional stormwater turf into diverse pollinator gardens. These gardens planted with non-impairing vegetation work with stormwater systems to filter pollutants, establish wildlife habitat and promote pollinator populations.
AQUALIS’ ROOT FOR NATURE Program Supports Two Principles:
Protect Water Quality: Dedicated to promoting the water quality of our local waterways, AQUALIS avoids herbicides or pesticides in pollinator gardens that can potentially impact the water quality of the nearby stormwater system. To protect stormwater runoff, AQUALIS weeds all ROOT FOR NATURE pollinator gardens by hand to prevent potential chemical leaching to the local watershed and support beneficial insect health.
Promote Native Habitat: Diverse and native plant species are used to support local insect species across the United States within the ROOT FOR NATURE gardens. The size of gardens and blend of vegetation used in ROOT FOR NATURE pollinator gardens are determined by evaluating site capability and native insect habitat requirements. Designed to act as ‘rest stops’ for migrating insects, native blends are used to allow for the longest flowering period. By utilizing a variety of plants with varying blooming cycles, ROOT FOR NATURE pollinator gardens act as viable food sources for pollinators much longer than monoculture gardens.
Why Choose a Pollinator Garden for Your Stormwater Basin?
It is estimated that up to 95% of all flowering plants rely on pollinators to support their life cycle, including over 1,200 crop species making this process vital to the production of many of the foods we eat. Research has found that the annual value of pollinator services equated to over $15 billion in 2009 alone and this estimation does not take into consideration the countless ecological services pollinator provides to our natural landscapes outside of crop production. Despite their importance, pollinator populations are at risk due to habitat loss and fragmentation with species going extinct 100 to 1,000 times the natural rate, or about one species-extinction every 20 minutes. Implementing pollinator gardens helps these crucial species by establishing pollinator habitats in areas that would otherwise be desolate.
How AQUALIS Protect Pollinators
- A single site can have 30-40 different species
- Over a dozen direct garden installments
- Inspired over 250+ public and private gardens
AQUALIS Supports Maintenance of Pollinator Gardens
AQUALIS roots for nature by limiting intervention and allowing nature to take root. AQUALIS managed pollinator gardens are allowed to grow free within their designated garden space, with professionals only intervening when necessary.
Intervention Includes:
- Reseeding bare spots
- Removal of trees, shrubs and invasive plants
- Routine watering to establish gardens to encourage root
Steps You Can Take
Implementing a pollinator garden on your property brings awareness to your business, acts as a catalyst for community involvement, and promotes healthy local ecosystems. Contact us to learn more about AQUALIS’ ROOT FOR NATURE program or schedule a free consultation to see if ROOT FOR NATURE is right for you!
