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friends@therouge.org | 734-927-4900 | Fax: 734-927-4920
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Celebrate Earth Day 2024
Join us for a variety of fun and feel-good activities on and around Earth Day 2024.
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Join our efforts for the Rouge River and its watershed. Become an FOTR Team member.
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2024 Spring Store Ad
It's never too early to think SPRING!
Gift cards, rain barrels + more!
Shop now for native plants, rain barrels, expert design consultations and MORE! Product pre-orders will be for pick up on May 18th, 2024.
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Chart your legacy for a better River today and in the future!
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FOTR Happenings

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Friends of the Rouge

Today is #WorldRecyclingDay! ♻️ Recycling is a key part to keeping our environment clean, but even BEFORE you recycle, try to refuse, rethink, reduce, repair, and reuse items. When you recycle, it's also important to make sure it's clean, whether you have separated or combined recycling programs in your community. Learn more about recycling basics and benefits from the EPA: www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics-and-benefits#:~:text=Recycling%20is%20the%20process%20of,can.... ... See MoreSee Less

Today is #WorldRecyclingDay! ♻️ Recycling is a key part to keeping our environment clean, but even BEFORE you recycle, try to refuse, rethink, reduce, repair, and reuse items. When you recycle, its also important to make sure its clean, whether you have separated or combined recycling programs in your community. Learn more about recycling basics and benefits from the EPA: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics-and-benefits#:~:text=Recycling%20is%20the%20process%20of,cannot%20be%20reduced%20or%20reused.

Calling all community members! Join the Alliance of Rouge Communities on March 28th at 7 PM for an update on the Rouge River AOC Habitat Restoration at Wilcox and Phoenix Lakes. ... See MoreSee Less

Calling all community members! Join the Alliance of Rouge Communities on March 28th at 7 PM for an update on the Rouge River AOC Habitat Restoration at Wilcox and Phoenix Lakes.

Want to help improve the river while connecting with nature in your own yard? 🌿 Join Friends of the Rouge and Southfield Parks & Recreation on April 22nd to learn how you can create simple, low-cost gardens designed to protect and improve local streams. These nature-based solutions to water pollution beautify the community and support human health and wellbeing. 🌾

This event will be in-person AND virtual, via zoom. Pre-restoration for Zoom is required. Join wherever you are to celebrate Earth Day and learn more about the power of rain gardens! 💦
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Want to help improve the river while connecting with nature in your own yard? 🌿 Join Friends of the Rouge and Southfield Parks & Recreation on April 22nd to learn how you can create simple, low-cost gardens designed to protect and improve local streams. These nature-based solutions to water pollution beautify the community and support human health and wellbeing. 🌾

This event will be in-person AND virtual, via zoom. Pre-restoration for Zoom is required. Join wherever you are to celebrate Earth Day and learn more about the power of rain gardens! 💦

Today is #InternationalDayofActionforRivers 💧🐟🚣 No matter where you are in the watershed, do something for the river today! Clean up some litter on your walk with your dog, reduce the use of water indoors while it's raining, become a FOTR member and support our work all year 'round or join one of our upcoming Earth Day events (learn more and register at therouge.org/earthday2024/). We wanted to highlight and appreciate ALL volunteers across the watershed in 2023 and encourage YOU to join us in 2024! These are photos from the Fort Street Earth Day event where volunteers cleaned up trash in and around the Rouge River in Detroit. What will you do for the river today?

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Today is #InternationalDayOfActionForRivers 💧🐟🚣 No matter where you are in the watershed, do something for the river today!  Clean up some litter on your walk with your dog, reduce the use of water indoors while its raining, become a FOTR member and support our work all year round or join one of our upcoming Earth Day events (learn more and register at https://therouge.org/earthday2024/).  We wanted to highlight and appreciate ALL volunteers across the watershed in 2023 and encourage YOU to join us in 2024!  These are photos from the Fort Street Earth Day event where volunteers cleaned up trash in and around the Rouge River in Detroit. What will you do for the river today? 

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Don’t miss a thing! Read FOTR news you can use in our Rouge Rundown.

Current Weather at FOTR headquarters

Updates affecting our Rain Gardens
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Rain Gardens 101

One Water – We Are the Rouge!

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Our Services

Friends of the Rouge in ACTION

Rouge Rescue

Rouge Education Project

River Restoration

River Monitoring

Rouge River Water Trail

Our annual river clean up

Since 1986, volunteers have removed large quantities of trash from the river. Public perception shifted from the river as an open sewer and a place to dump trash to its restoration including invasive plants removal, installation of native plantings, and stabilization of stream banks.

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School-based environmental education

We involve elementary, middle, and high schools from across southeastern Michigan. Students learn about the Rouge River in class, and then perform hands-on scientific exploration of the river on a field trip to its banks. They are encouraged to take action to restore and protect the river.

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How we care for the land

How we care for the land impacts water quality in our local lakes and rivers. The River Restoration program teaches residents of the watershed how to manage their land to improve water quality and to provide wildlife habitat through hands-on projects and educational events.

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Residents become citizen scientists

This program engages residents to become citizen scientists, collecting data about the health of the watershed through biological indicator species (bugs, frogs, fish, etc.) that reflect the long-term health of the watershed. As water quality improves, bugs frogs and fish are returning.

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Along 29.25 miles of the Lower Rouge

FOTR is currently working with local partners to develop a water trail on 29.25 miles of the Lower Rouge from Canton to the Detroit River. Much of the river corridor is protected within Wayne County Parks, making it ideal for the development of launches and amenities.

Learn more...

Volunteer to Make a Difference

Friends of the Rouge began as a volunteer organization, so volunteerism sits at the core of mission to serve the Rouge River watershed.

Become a Member

Be part of the legacy. Support the vital work we do by helping us meet critical milestones for programs that make a lasting impact of the Rouge River watershed’s health.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Get involved! Support our diverse programs through sponsorships that have the power to make real and lasting change for the health of the Rouge River watershed!

Networking to Build Community

Our community stakeholders, partners, and alliances make our watershed healthier! Thank you to all who make a difference by caring about the Rouge River.

Financial Transparency

We adhere to all federal and state regulations, produce annual financial audits, submit all reporting documents in a timely manner with clear accounting methods and record keeping.

FAQs

Curious about something in the Rouge? We may already have an answer to commonly asked questions regarding our organization or the watershed. Check out our FAQs HERE.

Our Sponsors

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  • Ralph C. Wilson Jr., Foundation Parks & Trails logo
  • Erb Family Foundation logo
  • Bosch logo
  • Alliance of Rouge Communities

Hear Our Voice
We acknowledge …the systemic injustices and pervasive racism that occurs for people of color.
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A Better Rouge For Us All

You care about the Rouge River. Watch how, together, we have been making your river cleaner and more vibrant for the plants and animals, and for the people of Southeast Michigan to enjoy.

Voices for the Rouge