Whale Pond Brook Watershed Association (WPBWA) joins the Rutgers Green Infrastructure Champion program.

The Whale Pond Brook Watershed Association (WPBWA) took a significant step toward local environmental resilience by joining the Rutgers Green Infrastructure Champion program. Recognizing that traditional drainage systems are often overwhelmed by New Jersey’s heavy rains, the team transitioned from advocacy to action, undergoing specialized training to master the art of nature-based stormwater management.

Through this Rutgers Cooperative Extension initiative, WPBWA members learned how to transform vulnerable landscapes into functional “green” assets. The primary focus was the design and implementation of rain gardens—depressed perennial beds engineered to capture, filter, and infiltrate runoff from rooftops and pavement before it can reach Whale Pond Brook.

Green Infrastructure Champions are key players in implementing green infrastructure as an approach to stormwater management in their own municipality. Green Infrastructure Champions will be able to:

• Enhance their knowledge through green infrastructure workshops, seminars, and personal research
  
• Engage community leaders to adopt green infrastructure as a stormwater management solution by updating ordinances and municipal master plans
  
• Encourage local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and schools to incorporate green infrastructure in their existing landscaping
  
• Secure funding for green infrastructure
  
• Publicize implementation of green infrastructure through social media channels
  

Here is what we can offer:

• Training on green infrastructure planning and implementation
  
• Technical support to develop a design for a green infrastructure demonstration project
  
• Networking opportunities with other Green Infrastructure Champions for mutual support
  
• Assistance with grant writing
  **A minimum of five (5) classes is required for certification.**