❄️Today may be chilly, but Spring is almost here! Join us to celebrate the end of winter with a Paddle Trip at Ford Field Park. 🚣♀️Paddlers have the option to rent a canoe or kayak or bring their own boat. Fees are due in advance for all attendees. REGISTER TODAY AT: motorcitycanoerental.com/fotr-events.php
Please note, paddling in winter is for experienced paddlers. If you are new to paddling, future Water Trail events will be a great opportunity for you to experience a rouge trip for the first time. For more information about upcoming Water Trail Events visit: therouge.org/water-trail/events/
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.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
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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
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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! 💦
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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 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?
Downriver Delta CDC Motorcitymagnetfishers
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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.
Learn more...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.
Learn more...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.
Learn more...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.
Learn more...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...Friends of the Rouge began as a volunteer organization, so volunteerism sits at the core of mission to serve the Rouge River watershed.
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.
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!
Our community stakeholders, partners, and alliances make our watershed healthier! Thank you to all who make a difference by caring about the Rouge River.
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.
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.
Hear Our Voice
We acknowledge …the systemic injustices and pervasive racism that occurs for people of color.
READ MORE…
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.
Any chance that we have to expose our students to science in the world outside of our classrooms is an opportunity to expose them to new passions. We know that days like this have the potential to change the trajectory of a student’s life.
We’re all connected to our environment, whether we realize it or not. I am making a difference by educating myself, and educating others, that our actions and attitudes affect the habitats around us. I am always proud to tell them that the Rouge is much improved over the past decade, thanks to the collective efforts of sponsors and volunteers.
By working with the FOTR, it helps to improve my skills as a scientist and gives my graduate work new meaning. Knowing that what I am doing could potentially help save an ecosystem like the Rouge River is inspiring to me as a future scientist.
Your volunteer group has been amazing this year. All the work they have done with the native plantings and cleaning up around the water looks top notch. Spreading the sand and stone at the boat launch has really improved the area visually and, according to the users comments below, it functions much better to launch boats. Please let your volunteer group know that their work is extremely appreciated by parks staff as well as the visitors.
“I envision the new rain garden as a living demonstration for stormwater management in a neighborhood (Hamtramck) that continually suffers from flooding during heavy rains. A place where people can learn how a rain garden can help them naturally manage floods.”
“I really want to thank Friends of the Rouge. You have allowed me to have fun over the years and get involved in something rewarding. With a group like FOTR, you really get to “act locally” by getting directly involved and getting your hands dirty and getting wet. To experience first hand that volunteers can make a difference in protecting and advocating for a local natural feature.”
“You have a lot of kids who come in and say ‘I don’t like science.’ ‘I am not a scientist.’ ‘I have never been to the River.’ The Rouge Education Project changes them.”
“It gives me a rush! I love the thrill of grabbing the big tray of leaves and mud….All that potential of finding what’s alive and waiting to be discovered”
The FOTR office is open Monday-Thursday from 10am to 3pm. |
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