Rainwater Garden Work Lands Professor Conservationist of the Year Award

After hundreds of hours of research, planning, and flower planting, Dr. Dale Trapp, professor of Geology and Physics, was honored with the “2007 Conservationist of the Year” award by the Ramsey County Conservation District for his work on the Lake Phalen rainwater garden.

Trapp’s interest in rainwater gardens first piqued at “Waterfest,” a family-friendly event at Lake Phalen Regional Park. While Trapp browsed information about preventing water runoff-based pollution, he saw a sign for what was supposed to be a rainwater garden. Instead of seeing an aesthetically pleasing garden that naturally filtered rainwater, all Trapp saw was a hole in the ground.

The Lake Phalen rainwater garden was meant to be a demonstration rainwater garden, but the county failed to maintain the garden, and allowed it to be taken over by invasive weeds. After researching and consulting with county and park officials, Trapp began the garden’s restoration.

Between July 2006 and June 2007 Trapp and several of his classes removed debris, cleared weeds, and planted more than 1,000 native plants.

“He gets really excited to see students working in the garden,” said Kelli Jensen, a Concordia student who worked on the rainwater garden with a geology class. “He’s very passionate about what he does and you can tell through his work with Lake Phalen and the rainwater garden.”

Trapp’s work also inspired another Concordia professor to get involved. Rev. Dr. Richard Carter, professor of Theology, brought a first year seminar class to do work on the rainwater garden. Carter said he was impressed with how prepared Trapp was and his ability to facilitate the students’ learning.

“I found him cheerful, knowledgeable, and extremely competent,” said Carter. “I was grateful for the special opportunity he gave us to be taking care of nature.”

Since July 2006, Trapp and his students spent more than 100 hours working at the Lake Phalen rainwater garden. Ramsey County reports that Trapp’s efforts have saved the City of St. Paul more than $2,000 in maintenance costs and introduced the science of bio-infiltration water conservation practices to students and future conservationists.

Trapp plans to continue work with the garden this semester with his geology class and possibly for the next couple years. “Five years from when the garden was planted,” he said, “the garden should become self-sustaining.”