Public Hearing TOMORROW, April 4 for Proposed Salem Township WWTP: Make Your Voice Count The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Water Resources Division (WRD) will hold a public hearing and information session regarding the proposed New Use NPDES Permit No. MI0060338 to Salem Township. April 4th 6 PM: Public Information Session
April 4th 7 PM: Public Hearing to seek additional public input Location: Northridge Church at 49555 North Territorial Road, Plymouth, MI 48170 The Salem Township Urban Service District Wastewater Treatment Plant is to be located at the southwest corner of Napier Road and M-14, Salem, MI 48175 in Washtenaw County. In building this plant, Salem Township proposes to dump 840,000 gallons/day of effluent into the headwaters of Fellows Creek, a healthy headwater stream that flows into the Lower Rouge.
Concerned residents are encouraged to attend the hearing, submit comments or contact Tom Braun at BraumT2@michigan.gov or 517-331-7377. |
Rain Garden Education with FOTR at the Novi Home & Garden Show!
Looking for ideas for your lawn? Friends of the Rouge will be at the at the Garden Stage on Friday, April 5th at 5pm at the Novi Home and Garden Show at the Suburban Collection Showplace to educate community members all about rain gardens! Come learn all you need to know about managing stormwater on your property with the power of native plants. |
Spring Bug Hunt
Do you ever wonder about what lives in the river besides fish and turtles? You are invited to join the 2024 Spring Bug Hunt to discover the amazing variety of critters that make up the bottom of the river food chain. Ready for exploration? Volunteers visit two sites with an assigned team located throughout the headwaters of the Rouge watershed to search for aquatic invertebrates. Children must be at least 8 years of age, and be accompanied by a participating adult.
Event Date: Sat. April 20, 2024 10am-3pm. Register by April 15. We are in particular need of trained team leaders. If you have attended our Team Leader Training, please register if you have not already. |
Celebrate Your Earth & River with Friends
Your River and Earth are calling! Ready to take action? Join the events below this Earth Day. Nurture, learn about, connect with, and celebrate the nature all around you.
Fri. April 19 Noon to 1pm: Level Up Your Yard webinar Sat. April 20 9am to noon: Earth Day Cleanup at Fort St Bridge Park
10am to 2pm: Earth Day at PARC 10am to 3pm: Spring Bug Hunt
Mon. April 22 7 to 8pm: Southfield Rain Gardens 101 (in-person and virtual) |
Rouge Fish Finding their Way: New Fishway at the Fair Lane Estate Dam
This spring, your Friends of the Rouge fish team ventured out to the new fishway, which opened at the Fair Lane Estate Dam in August 2023. The purpose: To check if migratory fish were using this new path to get upstream.
While the current was too strong to allow Friends to effectively seine for fish, emerald shiners, bluntnose minnows and brook stickleback were identified at the top of the fishway and many small yellow perch were identified at the bottom. Yellow perch have not been found in the river above the dam and are expected to be one of the many species that will benefit from this new fishway! |
New Theme Days at the PARC: Your Volunteer Experiences Await!
Friend, would you like to join in on some relaxing river-loving activities as meet new Friends? You can enjoy all of the personal benefits of volunteering in the beautiful PARC rain gardens as you make a difference for a clean water future.
You are invited to register for new THEMED events at the world-class PARC Rain Gardens! Join Friends on one day a month for different and special themed volunteer experience, including:
Pastries with Parents – Saturday, May 11 Ladies’ Night in the Garden – Thursday, June 29
Plant Pot Swap – Saturday, September 7 Ghoulish Garden Gala – Thursday, October 24 |
Earth Day Celebration in the PARC
Kick off the Spring with Friends on Earth Day weekend at a family-friendly event at PARC.
Discover your community’s shared commitment to sustainability! Enjoy: Volunteer opportunities, LIVE music, refreshments, kids’ activities (including children’s book readings), crafts, local art, booths from PARC tenets, opportunities to win fun prizes, and more! You won’t want to miss this wonderful day celebrating your environment! Save the date to celebrate: Saturday, April 20 – 10am to 2pm |
Fall in Love With Your Yard This Spring
Do you have Spring fever? The Rouge Store is ready for you! Select and pre-order native plants, rain barrels, composters, and more for pick-up on Saturday May 18 at Canton DPW! SPRING into action now for garden products and services and do more for you, your yard, and your Rouge River in 2024! Upcoming Order Deadlines: Pick Up Plants: Mon. April 29 (pickup in Canton on May 18th) Pick Up Rain Barrels + Composters: Mon. May 6 (pickup in Canton on May 18th)
FOTR members: don’t forget to use your discount code at checkout for 10% off! Not a member yet? Join today!
Not sure if you’re a member? Contact Lara – ledwards@therouge.org |
What Makes the Rouge River Even Better? YOU! Thank you, Friends. And a warm WELCOME to the newest Members and “Friends” of Friends of the Rouge who have recently joined:
Patrick Correy, Rita & Scott Douglas, Helene Edwards, Jennifer Krista Fleming, Holly Kamm, Michael Monaghan, Mark & Tammy Timm |
Partner Events Sat. Apr. 6, 6pm-9pm
Friends of the Detroit River (FDR): Riverkeeper Dinner
Sat. Apr. 6, 9am-1pm Friends of Rouge Park Community Cheery Tree Planting Sat Apr 13, 11am-3pm and Sun Apr 14, 12pm-3pm
Grosse Ile Nature Land Conservancy John C Jackson Resource Center Grand Opening
Sun Apr 14, 8am-9:30am Grosse Ile Nature Land Conservancy Backyard Birding Sat. Apr 20, 10am-12pm
Farmington Hills Nature Center Volunteer Day
Sat. Apr 20, 10am-12pm Grosse Ile Nature Land Conservancy Island Clean-Up Event Sun. Apr 21, 12:30pm-3:00pm
Sierra Club Rain Barrels on the Riverfront
Sun. Apr 21, 10am-12pm Friends of Rouge Park Earth Day in Rouge Park Sat. Apr 21, 3:00pm
Grosse Ile Nature Land Conservancy Oriole Talk
Wed. Apr 24th 5:30pm Gross Point Public Library 1000 Hours Citizen Science Celebration Thu. Apr 25th, 5pm-6pm
UM Dearborn EIC: Spring Ephemerals Flowers Lecture
Sat. Apr. 27, 9am-12pm Friends of the Detroit River (FDR): Spring Cleanup Oakland Conservation District
2024 Spring Tree & Shrub Sale – Order Online Now!
Take the 2024 Conservation Needs Assessment Survey
Live along a Lake? Please consider signing up to monitor your lake with the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program. |
| From Your Friend, Lauren Monitoring Manager |
A better River is made possible thanks to these supporters & in thanks to caring Friends like you
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