New Trail and Rain Gardens to Bring Restoration to Chrysalis House

On Friday, May 8, Arundel Rivers Federation joined project partners to celebrate the official unveiling of the new Therapeutic Nature Walking Trail at Chrysalis House — and this week, we’re excited to break ground on the next phase of the project: installing rain gardens that will help protect the South River.This project has been years in the making, and we’re proud to have played a role in helping bring this healing outdoor space to life.

Over the past several years, Arundel Rivers planted nearly 500 trees around the trail through generous support from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. These native trees will do more than beautify the landscape. As they grow, they’ll provide shade and privacy for trail visitors, create valuable wildlife habitat, and help absorb stormwater before it can carry pollution into local waterways.

After the trail was installed last summer, several intense storms revealed another challenge: large volumes of stormwater were flowing downhill from the parking lot and across sections of the trail system.

That’s where restoration comes in!

Arundel Rivers quickly worked with partners to develop a solution that would slow, capture, and naturally filter that runoff before it reaches the South River. Thanks again to funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, we are now installing three rain gardens on the property.

These rain gardens are designed to capture the “first flush” of stormwater, the initial runoff during a rain event that often carries the highest levels of pollution like sediment, nutrients, and debris. By slowing the flow and allowing water to soak into the ground naturally, the gardens help reduce pollution, improve water quality, and make the site more resilient during heavy storms.

Projects like this show how restoration can support both healthy communities and healthy rivers — creating spaces that heal people while helping protect the waterways we all depend on.

About Chrysalis House

Chrysalis House is a Maryland-based nonprofit recovery organization that provides residential treatment and support services for women experiencing substance use and mental health challenges. One of the few programs in the state that allows women to live with their children while receiving treatment, Chrysalis House helps remove barriers to recovery by offering family-centered care, counseling, parenting support, life skills training, and safe housing. Their work helps women and families build stability, healing, and long-term recovery.