Today is #EndangeredSpeciesDay - and we want to highlight one found in the Rouge River, the Redside Dace! This small, silvery member of the minnow family (Cyprinidae) are found in just three Michigan rivers and are listed as an endangered species in the state.
FUN FACT: Redside dace are jumpers! In order to catch their favorite meal of flying insects, they are able to jump as much as 12 inches straight up. With their bright and shiny coloring, these little fish look like silver streaks of light flashing above the water.
Learn more about this amazing fish at therouge.org/creature-feature-redside-dace.
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CREATURE FEATURE - Redside Dace
therouge.org
A Creature in Danger GET TO KNOW Redside Dace The redside dace is a small, silvery member of the minnow (Cyprinidae) family of fish. There was a time, long years ago, that redside dace swam happily ab...
Today is #WorldBeeDay 🐝 As more community members are promoting #NoMowMay, is that really what's best for the bees? This initiative is great to help combat our ideas of what lawns could or should be and encouraging others to reduce or stop using fertilizers and pesticides on their lawns. But, the best thing for native pollinators is.... NATIVE PLANTS! If you are participating in No Mow May, start planning a native flower bed or two to help bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife. 🌼
Looking for native plants? Stop by our same-day Rouge Rescue Backyard Fair in Southfield on SUNDAY! Go to therouge.org for more info.
www.rewildingmag.com/no-mow-may-downside/
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ATTENTION: the Friends of the Rouge office in Plymouth will be closed TODAY through Friday, June 3 due to electrical upgrades in the building. We are sorry for any inconvenience! ... See MoreSee Less
Looking for MORE ways to improve and clean up the Rouge this weekend? Check out some of our partner events happening this Saturday! Go to therouge.org/calendar to view all upcoming events and important event details. Choose from litter cleanups, invasive species removal, log jam workdays and more. Get out there and be the difference for YOUR watershed! ... See MoreSee Less
Link to Northville event: fb.me/e/9M9VRW5gy
Today is #accessibiltyawarenessday! The great outdoors is a place for every-body to enjoy. Accessibility in the outdoors is a major barrier some with disabilities to access equally and we need to have them present during these conversations and not left out!
What is your favorite outdoor activity and how can we take action to make it more accessible for all?! 🎣🦽🦯🛶🦼🚲🐦
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one of my favorite things to do on the Rouge is paddle! I am very excited for the installation of the universal kayak launches on the Lower Rouge to make it more accessible to the community for everyone to enjoy! 🛶
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.
COVID-19 NOTICE VIEW FULL POLICY HERE
We are now able to have the public into our space at PARC. Our regular business hours are M-Th 10-4. |