Jim Thorpe resident and wetlands scientist Todd Lutte made quite the impression with a display highlighting watershed protection and drinking water resources at the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show.

The Environmental Protection Agency Region III’s “…nary a drop to drink…” exhibit took home the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Silver Medal, the Bulkley Medal of the Garden Club of America and the Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy during the show, which ran from March 3 to 11.

“This year, our message is, ‘Where does your drinking water come from?’” Lutte said.

The carefully cultivated display aimed to educate people about the importance of streams, rivers and wetlands, along with the plants that surround them, and how they are interconnected with the very water that they drink at home. Featuring more than 60 native plants, a stream, and a wetland area, the exhibit makes for a lush and vibrant example of a healthy watershed.

And it’s something that Lutte hopes that visitors take home with them in order to improve their own region’s water quality.

“We’ve been trying to educate people that these are all plants that you could use in your own garden at home,” Lutte said.

“They all help to protect your drinking water. When you protect your rivers, streams and wetlands, you not only protect your own drinking water, you protect everyone’s water.”

After all, as Lutte puts it, the water on your property is only there temporarily. Those smaller streams and wetlands play a vital part in the environment, providing drinking water, functioning as a habitat for many aquatic species and waterfowl, and minimizing flood damage.

“Eventually, it will all end up downstream,” he said, emphasizing the effect that environmental changes can have on an entire watershed.

The project requires nearly a year of planning, developing the theme, and collecting and raising the native plants used in the display.

Lutte said that many exhibitors purchase their flora from greenhouses, which they force into bloom for the show. Lutte and Lapp opt for a more involved route, where they cultivate the native plants at Lapp’s property themselves, later forcing them into bloom for the show.

The hard work paid off, with the team taking home the trio of awards.

Even with the recognition, though, Lutte said that the most important part of the event was making an impact with the crowd, and inspiring people to make a few changes to promote the conservation and enhancement of aquatic ecosystems to ensure clean and healthy water.

“When we got the recognition with the Bulkley — that was the award we were after— it felt good,” Lutte said.

“But, we just hope that we made the message simple enough that we can get it out to the 200,000 plus people who walk through the show.”