Install a Rain Barrel and Plant Native at Home this Spring
The James River Association is offering FREE rain barrel and native plants workshops to residents of Amherst County this spring. These workshops are intended to educate residents about stormwater management and empower them to implement river-friendly conservation practices at home.
Rain Barrel Workshop at Madison Heights Public Library in Amherst County
Date & Time: Monday, April 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Location: Madison Heights Public Library, 200 River James Shopping Ctr, Madison Heights, Virginia
Fee: Free to residents of Amherst County
Join the James River Association for a rain barrel workshop at Madison Heights Public Library in Amherst County on Monday, April 6, at 6:00 pm. Staff members will instruct workshop participants on how to assemble and install rain barrels at home. Registration for the workshop is free and each registration comes with a 55-gallon drum and DIY rain barrel installation kit.
This workshop is now full.
Native Plants Workshop at Madison Heights Public Library in Amherst County
Date & Time: Monday, April 6, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Madison Heights Public Library, 200 River James Shopping Ctr, Madison Heights, VA 24572
Fee: Free to Residents of Amherst County
Join the James River Association at Madison Heights Public Library on Monday, April 6, at 7:00 pm for a workshop about native plants. Participants will learn about the benefits of native plants, how they support local wildlife, and where to source them. Registration for this workshop is free to residents of Amherst County and each registration comes with a regionally native plant.
This workshop is now full.
Did you know that conserving water by using a rain barrel and planting regionally native plants at home could qualify you for the James River Association’s River Hero Homes program!
River Hero Homes is a community of stewards that realize the first step to a cleaner James River starts at home. Residents of the James River’s 10,000 square-mile watershed take a pledge and commit to adopting a minimum of three of the five following river-friendly conservation actions that reduce stormwater runoff.
- Properly dispose of waste. Pick up trash in your community and properly dispose of waste, including pet waste, to reduce pollution.
- Use native plants. Use regionally native plants and remove invasive plants in gardens and landscapes, including riparian buffers and living shorelines.
- Reduce herbicide and pesticide use. Reduce or eliminate herbicide and pesticide use to promote a healthy ecosystem.
- Reduce fertilizer use. Reduce or eliminate the use of lawn fertilizers to reduce nutrient pollution entering our waterways and encourage healthy soil by using compost.
- Conserve water. Reduce household water use and consider installing a rain barrel to harvest rainwater for watering.
River Hero Homes would not be possible without generous support from Altria and DuPont Clear into the Future. Their support allows the James River Association to promote conservation and stewardship practices that support a healthy James River.