At Great Bay NERR, we love experimenting with new ways to engage people and hopefully get them excited about protecting Great Bay. Fortunately, we have a few artists within our team – both Natasha and Kelle have displayed their work at the Great Bay Art Show – so art is often woven into our programs.
On July 15, we hosted a rain barrel painting event, a program we had tried many years ago but hadn’t done in a while. Families, couples and individuals signed up in advance and together we spent 3 hours painting 9 gorgeous rain barrels!
As with most of our events, this program required quite a bit of preparation, but the results were worth it! The 60 gallon recycled plastic rain barrels were transformed into nature scenes with lupins, lilacs, fish and frogs. One family separated their barrel into four sections and each person painted their part of a landscape as a different season.
In case others might want to try painting rain barrels at home, here are the steps we used:
- Rain barrels were ordered from Aquarion as part of their spring sale. They repurpose barrels used in the food industry and prep each with a faucet, overflow hose and small screen at the top.
- With the help of volunteers, we wiped down each barrel and lightly sanded it with sandpaper
- We sprayed on a thick layer of outdoor primer, using a color chosen by the participant – white, black, green or blue.
- We ordered a wide array of paints colors – all outdoor acrylic paint. And supplied a selection of paint brushes, paint trays, and cups for water.
- The room was prepped with plastic tablecloths to protect our tables and the barrels were laid out and labeled, ready for each participant.
- The artists all had a different approach. Some arrived with a plan and even a picture to copy. Others followed their inspiration and improvised. Some used pencil to plan out their design on the barrel and most found that the paint dried quickly so they could layer paint colors.
- Everyone was given a can of sealant and instructed to coat their painted barrel with sealant at home, once it was fully dry.
- And everyone was given a few tips and materials to help them install and maintain the barrel, which are listed below.
The event was partly inspired by our spring issue of Great Bay Matters that focused on stormwater and recent efforts by partners to emphasize reducing stormwater, such as the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership’s stormwater communications toolkit.
When rainwater lands on hard surfaces, such as roofs and driveways, it runs off rather than soaking in the ground and we call it “stormwater”. Stormwater quickly flows across roofs and roads, picking up pollutants, warming up, and eventually flowing into nearby creeks, wetlands and Great Bay. Recent studies have found that stormwater contributes about a third of the nutrients that enter Great Bay. Excess nutrients and sediment from runoff can lead to cloudier waters that make it hard for sea grasses to flourish and osprey to hunt.
Rain barrels are a relatively easy, low cost option for reducing the amount of stormwater generated by a home. And they have the added benefit of storing water that can be used for watering plants, a great bonus during our hot summers. Some experts recommend not using rain barrel water on vegetable gardens because roofs can leach harmful chemicals into the rainwater.
Here are some resources that can help you get started on using and maintaining a rain barrel
- Soak up the Rain NH provides terrific resources about all the ways you can reduce stormwater around your home – rain gardens, driveway trenches and other practices. Their factsheet about rain barrels provides a good introduction.
- Aquarion, the company that supplied our barrels, offers some helpful installation tips.
- This Old House offers a great video on How to Install a Rain Barrel, which covers installation, maintenance and winter care.
- Also, consider options for elevating your rain barrel to make it easier to use the water to fill a watering can or attach a hose.
Be in touch if you have other program ideas or see ways to incorporate art and environmental stewardship! We can provide the venue, if you bring the creativity!
Lynn Vaccaro, Engagement and Training Coordinator
Melissa Brogle, Volunteer Coordinator
