Rouge Rundown – October 30, 2024: You can be a Master Rain Gardener | Halloween Fun | Bug ID Night & More

Sign Up for the Master Rain Gardener Class

Are you ready to transform your lawn into a living habitat and stormwater solution? This is the class for you! Design your own rain garden step-by-step as you learn the A, B, C’s of rain gardening. This includes lessons learned from more than 1,400 rain gardens built by homeowners just like you! Learn what works and what doesn’t. The class is done virtually and presented live, where you can ask questions and have discussions with other students in your local neighborhood. The course also includes an in person visit to a rain garden in your area! Post and engage in discussions through the Master Rain Gardener Facebook group (or an alternate forum) as your homework. Earn your certification – including a t-shirt and sign – by attending all five classes and building your own rain garden or adopting a public rain garden.

Full scholarships are available for residents in the following zip codes:
Detroit (48209, 48217), Ecorse (48229), Inkster (48141), Lincoln Park (48146), Melvindale (48122), River Rouge (48218), Riverview (48193), Romulus (48174), Taylor (48180).

Class Times:
January 30th to February 27th
Thursdays
10 am – 12 pm

Class Location:
Virtual Classroom with In-Person Tours throughout SE Michigan

Bug ID Night Held at FOTR Lab

Your wonderful Bug Hunt Team Leaders spent the evening identifying bugs collected during the Fall Bug Hunt.  Your Team Leaders go through training to learn sampling methods and lead teams of caring volunteers like you during the bug hunts. FOTR staff will identify additional bugs and share a report summarizing all of your findings in the near future!  

Leave the Leaves!

You are hereby granted more time for fun this fall! Leave the leaves is a message about what you can do in your own yard to help out endangered pollinators and other beneficial insects over the winter. It’s so easy! You can help the good guys MORE this year by doing LESS work! Just leave the leaves right where they fall – especially in shrub and flower beds. A lot of beautiful and important living things spend their winter in and under the leaves. By letting them be, you can save the bees!

Fall Celebration and Haunted Paddle!

Friends of the Rouge hosted its annual Haunted Paddle Trip on the Lower Rouge River Water Trail on Saturday, October 19. A record 154 paddlers attended the spook-tacular event. Witches, pirates, and scary clowns, lined the banks of the Rouge as paddlers traversed from Dearborn Hills Golf Course to Ford Field Park. At the park, paddlers joined Friends of the Rouge partners, sponsors, and volunteers at its first ever Fall Festival. Each of the Friends of the Rouge programs was represented with a unique tent display. There were costumes. There was music, and guests roasted s’mores at the fire pit. The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan was also there sharing health, nutrition, and wellness information. The City of Dearborn, Motor CIty Canoe and Kayak Rental, the Inkster Task Force, The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan each contributed greatly to this effort. Friends of the Rouge is grateful to all the volunteers, staff, and sponsors who helped work to make this event a success.

Your Rain Garden Belongs Here!

Do you have a rain garden, rain barrel, or pollinator garden in your yard? Are you interested in seeing what green solutions your neighbors have created? It’s time to visit the MAP!

Explore the Rainscaping in Southeast Michigan map to discover where rain gardens and other green solutions are in your neighborhood. Then, put YOUR “dot” on the map as you join the green solution crowd. 

Detroit StormWater Specialist Training

It’s been quite a year for your StormWater Specialist Training (SWST), with a third cohort currently in training. So far, 34 StormWater Specialists who have completed the program and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to engage in rain garden maintenance work. Many SWST graduates also complete the Rain Gardens to the Rescue program and participate in additional rain garden installations.

If you or someone you know would like to hire a SWST graduates to install or maintain your rain gardens, please contact Matt Connors at mconnors@therouge.com or Amethyst Crawford at amethystcrawford15@gmail.com. 

Job Opportunities

Others Hiring:

Clinton River Watershed Council: Communications & Development Manager

EGLE: Student Assistant – Great lakes Stewardship Fellow

Upcoming Events

Sat. January 25 at 10 am: 2025 Stonefly Search

Ongoing: Become a PARC Champion: Email Your Interest to Enjoy the Gardens as You Build a Greener, Cleaner River and Community!

Partner Events

Wed. Oct 30 from 4:30-9:30 pm

Friends of Rouge Park: Buckthorn Bonfire

Sun. Nov 3 from 12:30-3:30 pm

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge: Hawk Marionettes

Sat. Nov 16 at 1 pm

Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy: Creatures of the Night

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From Your Friend, Lauren
Monitoring Manager

A better River is made possible thanks to these supporters & in thanks to caring Friends like you