Endangered Redside Dace Found in the Rouge River!
The summer Rouge River fish surveys started off with a great surprise. While measuring and identifying fish on the Johnson Creek, Bob Muller noticed a minnow with a very large mouth and red stripe. It turned out to be a redside dace, a species found in very few watersheds in the state, endangered in Michigan, and declining in the Rouge River watershed. Redside dace need very cold, clean water to survive. A total of five redside dace were found at the site, all juvenile. Read the article to learn more about this exciting discovery.
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Your Evening for a Better Hometown River: Heart of the Rouge Tickets on sale now for your Rouge River Celebration. You are warmly invited to improve your River through JOY!
Join your Friends in celebration on August 7, 6 – 9 PM, HopCat Livonia. Then, enjoy a full heart as your ticket and kindness are put to work right away to power the program you love: frog, toad, and fish monitoring; trail building and paddling experiences; student River science, and new trees and Rouge River rain gardens for a cleaner River and better world! Your evening includes: Twenty-three contributing artists, interactive river experiences, great food and local brews, live music, nature-themed art auction, and one hometown River that gets even better – thanks to your participation! |
Oil Spill Threatens Rouge River
During the demolition of the Northville Downs building, a spill of roughly 80 gallons of oil and kerosene leaked into a storm drain after 12 steel drums were pierced. The city placed booms in the river downstream of the property to contain the spill. This oil spill could affect as many as 30 miles of the river downstream of the site. Friends of the Rouge responded to the incident with a letter to local officials requesting an investigation and plan for preventing this from happening in the future. It is especially alarming in a river that is home to endangered sensitive fish like the redside dace.
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Picnic in the PARC on July 27th
Spend a morning in the gardens with your Friends, followed by a sunny picnic and fun games together! We’ll work together cleaning up our native plants to some great music and conversation, and end the morning with a picnic next to the garden! We’ll learn about all the native plants in our garden and seek out the pollinators that visit them, including Monarch butterflies! Look forward to fresh air, good company, games, music, and more! It will be a wonderful way to start your weekend! |
Your Rouge River Paddling Trip Awaits! You are invited to experience nature from the seat of a kayak! Join your Friends and the Black Pack for a paddle trip on July 27 from Dearborn Hills Golf Course to Ford Field Park. 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. Register today! |
Attention South End Neighbors!
Are you a resident of South Dearborn or River Rouge? You are invited to join FOTR for Rain Gardens to the Rescue! This program is a series of 5 workshops all about rain gardens and hands-on garden installations. It is FREE and open to the public! Hands-on garden installations with your community provide an opportunity to control storm water in your neighborhood with beautiful native plants that everyone can enjoy! Learn how to create and maintain a native garden, and plant your own for free!
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Fall Native Plant Market: Pre-Sales Now Open!
Pre-order beautiful native plants, rain barrels, composters, and more NOW for Fall! Save the date for the pick-up and same day Fall Native Plant Market with local vendors selling a variety of native plants on Saturday October 5 at Keep Growing Detroit Farm. Find what’s right for your yard today!
ORDER DEADLINES:
Mail Order Plants: Wed. July 31
Pick-Up Plants: Fri. September 20
Pick-Up Rain Barrels + Composters: Fri. September 27 |
A Welcome Letter to Friends
As I write this, I can hear the birds chirping in the PARC rain gardens. The impact of these spaces is tremendous, for migratory species and also for our watershed. Did you know that between 2015 and 2023, FOTR has worked with communities to install 117 rain gardens that treat over 114,000 gallons of rain water per rain event? In fact, rain gardens are what led me to FOTR in the first place! While researching, I came across the posting for the Executive Director position and the rest, as they say, is history.
As I start my work advocating for and connecting with the Rouge watershed, I can think of no better place to apply the skills I’ve gained throughout my career to create and steward spaces that connect people. I’m in awe of the incredible work FOTR does every day to empower communities to advocate for, restore, and experience THEIR river. My calendar is already filled with opportunities to participate in bug and stonefly hunts, frog and toad surveys, and fish monitoring. I’m excited to go paddling on the Lower Rouge Water Trail, and to engage with educators and students across the watershed participating in our Rouge Education Project.
Of course, I’m also excited to finally install that rain garden in my own front yard! I hope that you will consider participating in one or more of these opportunities to find your own connection to your river and I hope to see you all at our Heart of the Rouge: A Benefit on the Banks event on August 7th at HopCat Livonia.
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| From Your Friend, Allison Operations Assistant |
A better River is made possible thanks to these supporters & in thanks to caring Friends like you
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