Chattanooga Learns to Love Its Bioretention Gardens
Chattanooga is known for its beautiful parks and vibrant outdoor spaces. However, many visitors to Warner Park, home to the beloved Chattanooga Zoo, might overlook an important feature nestled quietly in the parking lot. Some may see it as a jungle of neglected overgrowth, while others might even use it as a space to toss their trash. Surprisingly, this green area has a very special purpose: it’s a bioretention garden!
What is a Bioretention Garden?
These gardens use native plants to manage stormwater, improve water quality, and support plant diversity. In essence, they are nature’s way of filtering water and providing homes for local wildlife. To make sure the public understands the significance of this garden, Dr. DeAnna Beasley, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has stepped in to educate everyone.
Making Connections with the Community
Dr. Beasley’s partnership with the city of Chattanooga and the zoo is part of a larger public science initiative funded by grants from Tennessee American Water. The project, which incorporates a nifty photo monitoring system called Chronolog, allows visitors to take photos in the bioretention gardens. By simply setting their smartphones on camera stands, park-goers can capture images that contribute to a time-lapse showcasing how the gardens change over time.
“We wanted something that was accessible,” commented Dr. Beasley. “You take a picture, email it, and it sends you the time-lapse.” This simple action not only helps document changes but also fosters a sense of responsibility and care for the gardens.
Educating the Public
In addition to establishing a fun and interactive way for visitors to engage with the gardens, there is a plan in the works to install educational signage at the Warner Park bioretention gardens. There are over 100 native plant species thriving in this space, which deserves to be celebrated and understood.
According to Lucy Ellis, Chattanooga’s natural resource project coordinator, educational signs have been on the wishlist of the city and the zoo for years. However, due to funding and prioritization challenges, the project never got off the ground—until now. “Dr. Beasley’s suggestion to use Chronolog really brought this project to life,” Ellis shared. “It not only tracks environmental changes but also helps address public misconceptions about the gardens.”
Beyond Warner Park
This initiative doesn’t stop at Warner Park. Camera stands have also been set up in three other parks across Chattanooga: Carver Park, Renaissance Park, and Heritage Park. These green spaces provide critical habitats, including wetlands and wet meadows, all aimed at improving the local watersheds.
For the past three years, Dr. Beasley has brought over 100 students from her ecology lab to work in the gardens—some even including these sites as part of their senior research projects. She sees the project as a valuable opportunity to teach students about real-world environmental challenges and to connect the community with the great outdoors. “It’s giving us different ways of working with the public,” said Dr. Beasley. “It’s about engaging them and training students to consider how they can assess the quality of the environment.”
Changing Perceptions
Ellis describes Dr. Beasley as a “great partner” in this initiative with Chattanooga’s Parks and Outdoors. It’s clear that many residents might confuse the thriving plants for what looks like unkempt neglect. However, with the introduction of Chronolog, both Ellis and Dr. Beasley hope to improve public perception and encourage interaction with these dynamic areas. “I think a lot of negative perception can be turned around with some simple education,” Ellis remarked. “These plants are here to help protect people downstream.”
As Chattanooga’s community gets more involved with the bioretention gardens, the hope is that a deeper understanding and appreciation will flourish. By connecting education with engagement, Warner Park is paving the way for a greener future!
