Rain Gardens

We’ve partnered with the City of Boston’s Green Infrastructure Unit to design and build rain gardens throughout our Zoos.

Rain gardens are a natural solution for managing rainwater runoff from roofs, roads and other hard surfaces. Instead of allowing water to flow into storm drains—where it can contribute to flooding and pollution—these gardens absorb it into the ground. Filled with native plants, rain gardens help filter pollutants, reduce erosion and provide valuable habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. At the same time, they offer the opportunity to educate our guests about the benefits of green infrastructure.

As stewards of over 100 acres across two watersheds, Zoo New England is committed to using best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater management. Since 2024, we’ve partnered with the City of Boston’s Green Infrastructure Unit to design and install rain gardens and other forms of green infrastructure. At Franklin Park Zoo, you can find them at the entrance to the Tropical Forest, the camel habitat, and near Aussie Aviary. At Stone Zoo, examples of BMPs can be seen at Caribbean Coast and the whooping crane habitat.