GMTRG: Durham Spring 2026

Urban Sustainability Solutions is excited to share the success of our first-ever training program in Durham, developed in partnership with instructors from Northern High School, led by Rachel Owens. This milestone marks an important step in expanding our hands-on stormwater education and workforce development efforts into new communities.

As part of the training, students worked on improving a previously identified site that had been surveyed during our collaboration with the Partnership for Healthy Homes. The existing rain garden on the property was undersized and no longer functioning effectively, creating an ideal opportunity for students to apply their skills in redesign and restoration.

Throughout the project, students took the lead in transforming the space. They worked together to regrade and level the garden base, rebuild and strengthen the berm, and plant and mulch the newly improved rain garden. This hands-on experience helped reinforce key concepts around stormwater flow, infiltration, and long-term maintenance, while also showing students how thoughtful design can directly improve environmental outcomes.

By the end of the training, students had successfully turned an underperforming feature into a functional and sustainable green infrastructure solution. Just as importantly, they gained valuable team-based experience and a deeper understanding of how their work can support healthier homes and communities.

We are grateful to Northern High School instructors and our Durham partners for helping make this first training a success, and we look forward to continuing to grow opportunities for students in the region.