Today’s Menu: Designing for Shade, Runoff, and Reality: Native Plants Under Solar Carports

Thursday. March 5 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Howard County is piloting native plant landscaping beneath solar carports at the East Columbia Campus to evaluate how native species perform in the unique conditions created by solar infrastructure. The project examines plant survival, growth, and maintenance under variable shade, concentrated runoff at panel drip lines, and cooler microclimates, while also assessing benefits such as erosion control, stormwater management, and pollinator habitat.

Initial plantings were installed in spring 2025, with supplemental planting added in fall 2025 to replace species that did not survive based on early observations. As a first-year pilot, the project is generating practical lessons that will inform future design, species selection, and maintenance strategies for integrating native landscapes into solar canopy installations across the county.

Julie Costantino is a Sustainability Project Manager with Howard County Government, where she manages the CleanScapes residential stormwater program and Howard County Bee City USA, the County’s pollinator conservation program. She works on countywide native plant projects and nature-based climate solutions through the County’s Climate Action Plan, with a focus on how landscapes can support watershed health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience. Julie also serves on the board of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council.

There is no cost for this webinar, however, if you would like to make a donation we greatly appreciate it. 

1CBLP CEU