2021 Earth Day Events

It’s the 51st anniversary of Earth Day! Celebrate with us by helping out at a local cleanup event, getting out on your cleanup, joining a virtual webinar, or entering a contest.

Saturday, April 17

• Detroit River Coalition: Earth Week Celebration (April 17- April 24) – Learn More
  The Detroit River Coalition encourages you to get out on your own from April 17-24 along the Iron Belle Trail to clean up litter. Bring your family or meet up with friends or colleagues to clean up the Detroit River. There are several dumpster locations to drop off your trash bags and scan the QR code on the dumpster to tell us how much you cleaned up, post a photo AND enter to win the grant prize, a new Shinola Detroit bike! (See website for all contest details).
  You can also enter the Art or Photo Contests for Adults and Youth NOW through April 22 and with more great prizes!

Thursday, April 22- EARTH DAY!

• Friends of the Rouge Rain Gardens 101 – Register here
  12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
  VIRTUAL WEBINAR
  Join Friends of the Rouge to protect your home against flooding AND help birds, bees, and butterflies with a RAIN GARDEN! Get oriented and get going through the FREE livestream lunch & learn on Earth Day.
• Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy: Climate Change in Your Backyard Webinar
  7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
  VIRTUAL WEBINAR- Zoom Meeting ID: 844 0054 2725, Passcode: 068271
  This presentation highlights climate change impacts in the Great Lakes. Contact them at GINLC.education@gmail.com.

Saturday, April 24

• Fort Street Bridge Park Cleanup
  9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  Fort St. Bridge Park, 130 S. Fort St, Detroit, MI 48217– Register here
  Friends of the Rouge will be holding a cleanup site at Fort St. Bridge Park as part of the Detroit River Coalition Earth Day Cleanups (see below) to clean up sites along the Rouge River. Volunteers will check-in at Fort Street Bridge Park. Learn more at therouge.org/detroit-river-coalition.
• Detroit River Coalition Cleanups
  The Detroit River Coalition is holding six (6) total in-person cleanups on Saturday April 24! Join us at Rotary Park in Trenton (9am-12pm), Dequindre Cut in Detroit (10am-2pm), Milliken State Park area in Detroit (11am-2pm), Belle Isle State Park in Detroit (10am-1pm), Dingell Park in Ecorse (10am-2pm) or with Friends of the Rouge at Fort Street Bridge Park in Detroit (see above). Registration is required for all in-person events and Covid protocols will be in place.
• City of Wayne Cleanup
  9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  Goudy Park, 3498 2nd St, Wayne, MI 48184 – Register here
  The Rotary Club of Wayne is partnering with Wayne Main Street and the Friends of the Rouge to conduct a city-wide cleanup of the roads and paths abutting the Rouge River. Do as much or as little as you like! You can pick up trash along the roads or trails, or do more. This project is an effort to make the city more walkable and beautiful.
• Friends of Rouge Park: Earth Day Cleanup – Register here
  10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  Meet at the Stone Bridge Trailhead (map) 
  Limited to the first 25 registrants. All volunteers must pre-register and abide by Covid protocols. We will provide garbage bags, please bring your own work gloves and wear long pants, long sleeves and sturdy shoes. Learn more at www.rougepark.org.
• Johnson Nature Center: Earth Day Celebration – Register here
  8:00 AM – 10:00 AM or 10:00 AM -12:00 PM
  Johnson Nature Center, 3325 Franklin Rd. Bloomfield Twp., MI
  Join us as we fully open our site up to the community this spring! This celebratory event provides both service and educational opportunities for all ages. Service projects geared toward environmental stewardship include invasive species removal, litter removal and new trail management. Educational experiences include guided hikes, scavenger hunts and more. Visit our website for details and registration for the guided hikes: https://www.bloomfield.org/schools/el-johnson-nature-center
• Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy: Island Clean Up – Register here
  9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
  Centennial Farm 25797 Third St. Grosse Ile, MI 48138
  Volunteer with GINLC in this Kiwanis Annual Event as we clean up our protected lands. To register as a volunteer, or for more information, contact info@ginlc.org. Connect on Facebook at facebook.com/GINLC.GI.

All April and May

• Friends of the Rouge: Online Rouge Rescue – Connect now
  Join Rouge Rescue right at home with the online Wespire platform. Sign up now and complete activities on your own time through June 7 to earn points to get a virtual badge and be a true Rouge Rescuer. Through simple actions you can do in your home, in your yard or in your community, you can help Rescue the Rouge every day! Learn more at therouge.org/online-rouge-rescue or go to therouge.org/rouge-rescue to sign up for upcoming in-person events and order your 2021 Rouge Rescue shirt!
• Make an Earth Day Impact with Friends! (through April) Earth Day Fundraiser with a gift for YOU and the Rouge River! Donations make a difference! You can make a beautiful difference with Friends for a better River! Choose your impact and make it grow! Donate today and receive a hand-crafted magnet celebrating the Rouge River for any gift over $50, while supplies last!