First Fridays are held on the first Friday of every month (except July) from 12-1 pm via Zoom. Join Marion SWCD staff and subject matter experts to learn something new about soil and water conservation and a wide array of related topics.

Rain gardens and bioswales are great options for slowing down the flow of stormwater. City of Salem’s Natural Infrastructure Specialist Jesse Dillow will give an overview of rain gardens, what they are and how they function, a rundown of how to size and design them, some plants that work well, the installation process, and maintenance needs.

This talk will be held in person at Bauman’s Farm and Garden during our Native Plant Sale pick up event. Join this First Friday talk on site or online.

Jesse Dillow has a biology degree from George Fox University and most of his work experience is in horticulture. Jesse worked for the grounds department at George Fox in various capacities for 14 years. He did landscape and irrigation installation and design (including raingardens), managed riparian restoration, maintained landscapes, and was the superintendent of the department the last two years. He started at the City of Salem in 2020 on the day that the state shut down for COVID. In his current role, Jesse is in charge of coordinating the maintenance of over 450 city owned green stormwater facilities as well as roughly 100 acres of natural areas and mitigation sites. One of Jesse’s passions is creating landscapes that are both attractive and functional while serving vital ecological functions such as managing stormwater, providing pollinator habitat, and providing nesting and forage area for migratory birds.