Rouge Rundown10.30.2024

March Madness for Michigan Plants! Who Will Win it All?

Are you excited for spring? Are you ready for plants in your life and just can’t wait for the thaw? Get ready for spring with FOTR’s Rain Garden Spring Fever Plant Tournament! During the month of March, your favorite Michigan plants will compete against each other, with your votes deciding the winner! You can submit your predictions for the winning plants using the button below (no account required) for a chance to win, then check out the competition and vote for your favorites on Facebook and Instagram!

Fill out Your Bracket Today!

Check Out the Competition

The Spring Bug Hunt is Looking for Team Leaders!

Bug hunts rely on dedicated volunteers who train to become Team Leaders. If you have participated in a FOTR Bug Hunt or Stonefly Search and would like to attend training to become a team leader, please complete the registration form. Are you ready to lead? The bug hunt is ready for you!

Team Leader Training Registration

Your First-of-the-Year Paddle Trip is Here!

It’s the End of Winter Paddle Trip! Join your Friends for a self-return paddle trip from Ford Field Park to celebrate the end of Winter. The event is Saturday March 22 from 9:30 AM to 12 PM. Paddlers have the option to rent a canoe or kayak or bring their own boat. Please note, fees are due in advance for all attendees.

New to paddling? While this event is for experienced paddlers, future events will be a great opportunity for you to experience a rouge trip for the first time! Visit the link below for more information about upcoming Water Trail Events.

Winter Tree Tube Pick Up – Join the Fresh Air Fun!

You are invited to join the Weekly Tree Tube Pick-Up! Over the past few years, Friends of the Rouge has planted over 13,000 native trees along the Lower Rouge River Watershed, each protected by a sturdy, recycled plastic tube. These tubes have done an amazing job shielding these young trees from predators, but now the trees are ready to thrive on their own!

If you are looking for a fresh air activity, this is for you! This is the perfect chance to get outdoors, meet fellow tree enthusiasts, and make a positive impact in your Rouge community. Everyone is welcome, but please note that minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Fill out the form below and you will receive weekly location details (all sites are in the Inkster area) by email. Pick-ups will happen every Tuesday, with updates if extra dates are added! For more information or to schedule a private group clean-up, please contact Jacqueline Kristofik (jkristofik@therouge.org). See you out on the Rouge!

Join in the Tree Tube Fun!

Top Golf Facility Application Denied

FOTR, Michigan Land Conservancy, and Detroit Bird Alliance applaud EGLE’s denial of the Top Golf Facility permit application in Canton. The proposed facility would destroy 7.12 acres of forested and scrub shrub wetland in the area east of I-275 between Warren Rd. and Ford Rd, in a county that has already lost 90% of its original wetlands. FOTR was made aware of the permit request by Detroit Bird Alliance who wrote a letter requesting the permit be denied due to concerns about the negative impacts to the habitat and wildlife. FOTR wrote a letter to EGLE asking that the permit be denied because wetlands provide essential ecosystem services including flood mitigation, water filtration, and biodiversity support. A Top Golf Facility is not dependent on being built in a wetland and there are a number of feasible alternative sites on which the Top Golf facility could be built with many fewer impacts to our river and our communities. The developer will have an opportunity to appeal, so please stay tuned and we will continue to follow the story and give you updates. If you live in Canton, please keep this on your radar.

Read for More Information

View the Permit Denial

Save the Date for Spring Native Plant Sale!

FOTR’s native plant sale will be May 17th from 10am-2pm at Livonia DPW! Come out to shop native plants of all kinds and hang out with some plant geeks! Pre-sale will go live Saturday, March 1st! Reserve your native plant kits, rain barrels, and more!

With deep and complicated root systems, native plants help manage stormwater to keep it out of your water systems (or your basement!). Not only do they store the water, they also filter out some of the nasty pollutants and absorb them to keep them away from the rivers and lakes. Native plants also support our local wildlife by providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds. If you want to see more birds, butterflies, and little critters–this is how to do it!

Want a beautiful garden but short on time, energy, or motivation? Boy are the native plant kits perfect for you–each one even comes with a suggested layout! Plus, you’ll be stoked to hear that native gardening is lower maintenance than traditional! Once your plants get adapted to your environment, they grow much easier–they belong here, after all. This means you need less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than many annuals. Your Rouge River will thank you!

I Have a Question about the Sale

You are invited to National Science on Screen Day at The Penn Theater with Friends of the Rouge, Presenting: Lost Rivers

In partnership with The Penn Theater in Plymouth and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, you are invited to enjoy National Science on Screen Day!

Join your Friends on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:00pm at the Penn Theater for a screening of Lost Rivers. In honor of World Water Day, Dr. Jacob Napieralski, Ph.D., Dr. Marie Garcia, Ph.D., and Landscape Architect Nancy Darga, will lead a discussion and a post screening Q&A session about the importance of preserving our waterways and bringing awareness to the “lost rivers” that exist in your Rouge River community.

Complimentary tickets at the door. Penn Theater | 760 Penniman Ave, Plymouth, MI 48170

Let’s Go to the Movies!

Lian Anderson, former FOTR Marshall Weinberg Fellow, accepts PhD position at University of Michigan-SEAS program

During her PhD, Lian hopes to investigate the impacts of invasive species on native fish communities in river ecosystems. She hopes to continue to study the Round Goby through collaboration with participatory scientists, historical records, and museum collections. Congratulation to Lian as she continues her academic career!