Benefits of Native Plants
Did you know that Fall is a fantastic time to plant Michigan native Plants? Native plants are beautiful, low-maintenance, great for pollinators, and perfectly suited for the local environment. Click the link below to learn the beauty and benefits of Native Michigan Plants!
Pre-order beautiful native plants 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 3 at Keep Growing Detroit Farm. Find what’s right for your yard today!
ORDER DEADLINES:
Order your pick-up native plant flats by Wednesday, September 2.
Heart of the Rouge – a Night to Remember!
More than 200 Friends joined us on August 13 at Rouge Park to celebrate 40 years of community‑powered stewardship. Heart of the Rouge: Our Ruby Anniversary brought together neighbors, families, partners, and river lovers for an evening of connection and impact.
Guests enjoyed:
- live music from the Matt Balos Trio;
- a fish sampling demonstration;
- good food and drink;
- a lively silent auction featuring local and staff‑created art; and
- a presentation of a special proclamation from Rep. Matt Koleszar
We were thrilled to welcome Jack Nissen, host of FOX 2 Detroit’s Brother Nature, whose passion for Michigan’s natural world energized the night.
Whether you joined us as a member, Rouge Champion, first‑time guest, long‑time supporter, or partner in stewardship, you made this milestone meaningful. Thank you for every smile, conversation, bid, and moment shared along the water.
Volunteer at Fort St Bridge Park
Join your Friends to finish planting at Fort Street Bridge Park! On Friday, August 21st and Friday, August 28th, from 10 am to 2 pm, volunteers will be planting perennials to complete the park’s beautiful landscape. If you are available for either of those days, please join in!
Tasks may include digging, spreading mulch, and planting. Snacks and tools will be provided.
Kinder-GARDEN in Plymouth
New to all things gardening?
Join your Friends on Saturday morning at the PARC gardens for Kinder-GARDEN! Volunteers will help to spruce up the well-established rain gardens while learning proper weeding techniques, great gardening tips, and the importance of planting native.
All ages and gardening experience (especially those new to gardening!) are welcome. Register at the link below.
Fall Bug Hunt 2026
You are invited to join your Friends at the 2026 Fall Bug Hunt! On Saturday, October 10th, volunteers will head out in teams and visit two sites in the watershed and search for aquatic invertebrates that live in the Rouge River. There is an indoor morning welcome at PARC (Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex) at 10 am, where volunteers can meet their teams and enjoy refreshments.
No prior experience is necessary, but preregistration is required. Children 8 and older are welcome to join with parents/legal guardians as well.
Fort Street Bridge Park
Industrial Paddle Trip
On August 22nd Friends of the Rouge hosted its first ever Industrial Paddle Trip to launch from Fort Street Bridge Park in Detroit. Over two dozen paddlers launched from Fort Street Bridge Park and paddled downstream to Belanger Park. During the trip paddlers ventured around Zug Island. encountered several freighters servicing factories on the shoreline, and saw many of the unique drawbridges that cross the river.
Fort Street Bridge Park is Detroit’s only access point on the 29-mile Lower Rouge River Water Trail that spans from Canton to the Detroit River.
“Today is amazing. This is the first group to use the new universally accessible boat launch here at Fort Street Bridge Park,” said Herman Jenkins, Friends of the Rouge Trails Manager. “Without this launch, it is extremely difficult to access the river here in the industrial channel, especially for persons with disabilities or less experienced paddlers. We can’t wait to open the park to the general public in the months ahead.”
Other features newly installed at Fort Street Bridge Park include a kayak storage rack, fishing pier, tables, benches and soon a fire pit. Phase II is continuing to progress and is expected to be finished by the end of 2026.
Girls Get Excited About Science
Middle school is the age in which many girls turn away from math and science. On Tuesday, FOTR worked to change that by engaging them in cool interesting things that scientists do like fish, hunt bugs, observe birds, paddle and listen for frogs. Thanks to the Skillman Foundation, we offered a session of STREAM Girls at the newly renovated Fort Street Bridge Park. STREAM Girls was developed by Trout Unlimited to build confidence in and break down barriers in science and the outdoors.
Thank you to the partners who offered programming: Black Girls Do Science, Cranbrook Science Museum, Detroit Bird Alliance and We Fixin to Fish and the volunteers who came out to help steward the girls through the six stations.
The girls we had were so excited to gain new experiences and grow their curiosity in the STEAM fields. We may even have some future scientists and engineers out there now.
Rouge Gateway Greenway Bridge
Settting Ceremony
On August 20th, Friends of the Rouge held a bridge setting ceremony to commemorate construction of Rouge Gateway Greenway Phase II in Dearborn. Phase II will add 1.9 miles of asphalt trail that will extend the trail from just West of Evergreen Road and North of Michigan Avenue to Southfield Freeway, at Village Road, near the Henry Ford Museum.
The Rouge Gateway Greenway is part of a network of planned and existing blueway and greenway trails that includes the Joe Louis Greenway, Downriver Linked Greenway, Great Lakes Way, and the Iron Belle Trail. Remarks were shared by Friends of the Rouge Executive Director Ashley Flintoff, Trails Manager Herman Jenkins, Wayne County Economic Development Director Anthony Cartwright, and Dearborn Mayor Hammoud. The event concluded with a Ceremonial Dirt Toss with members from Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, City of Dearborn, Granger, Smithgroup, Wayne County Executive, Wayne County Parks, The Henry Ford, and Friends of the Rouge.
A Special Message from Andrew
At this year’s Heart of the Rouge celebration, I reminded everyone that every ripple, buzz, and laugh along the river is part of a living symphony. It’s one we all help to preserve.
“The good life of any river may depend on the perception of its music; and the preservation of some music to perceive.”
― Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
So, what is that music? Who preserves this music to perceive?
Is it just a coincidence that in 1986, the year of our founding, the top Billboard song of the year was Dionne Warwick’s That’s What Friends Are For?
Perhaps not. After all, we are the Friends. We speak for the Rouge. Maybe even sing for it.
Click below to read my full message and feel the rhythm of the Rouge.
Rouge River Supporters
A better River is made possible thanks to these
supporters and in thanks to caring Friends like you
Upcoming Events
Friday August 28 at 10 AM: Fort Street Bridge Park Perennial Planting
Saturday August 29 at 9 AM: Kinder-Garden: PARC Rain Garden Spruce-Up
Wednesday September 9 at 10 AM: Redford Water Dept. Rain Garden Spruce Up
Saturday September 19 at 10 AM: Claude Allison Rain Garden Spruce-Up
Thursday September 24 at 6 PM: Henry Ford Centennial Library Spruce-Up
Saturday September 26 at 9 AM: Industrial Paddle Trip
Open Opportunities
Friends of the Rouge – RFP – Design and Installation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Partner Events
Saturday August 29 at Noon: Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash and the City of Birmingham: Stormwater Education Event – FOTR will be leading a bug hunt!
Friday September 11: Clinton River Watershed Council: Rain Barrel Sale (Pre-Orders due 9/6)
Sunday September 13: Friends of Detroit River: Biking Event Park to Park
Saturday September 19: Detroit Bird Alliance: Lake Erie Metropark Field Trip
Sunday September 20: Cass Community Social Services: Rain Garden Installation – Volunteer Opportunity. If you are interested in learning more, email sandrawhite333@yahoo.com
Categories
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News & EventsLearn more about upcoming FOTR events and projects
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NewslettersThe Rouge Rundown is our biweekly newsletter. Click to read past editions.