Sustainable Yard Designs Initiative

Does your yard or basement flood? Do you want an easier way to care for your lawn? Have you ever considered Nature-Based Solutions, but don't know where to start or how much it will cost? Now is your chance to get free, expert advice and a cost estimate for a tailored plan, with no obligation, as part of a special City initiative!

We are choosing three properties for this special opportunity to have landscape design experts craft personalized, conceptual plans to create a more sustainable and resilient yard, all at no charge. These "Sustainable Yard Designs" may feature elements such as rain gardens, re-routing roof gutters, reducing pavement, native plantings, pollinator gardens and more.

Your personalized design will serve as a case study for a workshop at the City's inaugural Green Worcester Resilience Summit, Saturday, May 11, at the Worcester Public Library. These designs will showcase what's achievable for other properties in the City and beyond.

Please note: Your address and contact details will remain confidential and will not be disclosed to the public at the event or elsewhere. You are not obligated to carry out your personalized plan, but we hope it will inspire you and others to consider creative, sustainable ways to beautify your lawn - with less effort.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must own a property with a Worcester address.

What You'll Get

• A plan that includes:
• Conceptual design for your yard (sketch level drawing);
• Estimated cost ranges;
• List of recommended plants, trees, vegetation and other measures;
• Explanation of recommendations and their effectiveness in reducing flooding, including how they may increase stormwater absorption or reroute stormwater as needed;
• Explanation of recommendations and their effectiveness in reducing extreme heat;
• List of next steps and action items for implementing the plan, including what actions you might complete on your own versus what might require professional help.
• Inspiration! And an opportunity to use your plan to encourage others to make similar improvements to their properties.

What You'll Need to Do

• Fill out the entry form with basic information about your property, including contact information.
• Coordinate and attend a site visit to your property by the landscape architect specializing in sustainable landscapes.
• Be willing to have your plan made public on the City website and at the Green Worcester Resilience Summit (photos and name of the neighborhood will be provided, but exact address will not be published).

Background: Drainage and Green Infrastructure Master Plan Development

Why Focus on Urban Flooding?

Climate Change is exacerbating flooding in Worcester due to more frequent and intense rainstorms and increase in total annual rainfall. The future flooding in the City will affect even more areas if we don't make changes to our stormwater system and how we build and manage our urban spaces.