Habitat Reforestation – Weed Mats Installation – Lower Rouge River, Inkster Area — Saturday

Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/03/23
9am - 1pm

Location
Lower Rouge River - VARIABLE work sites

Categories

• Accessibility: uneven terrain
• Activity: Tree Planting & Weed Mats
• Difficulty: Level 3—moderate activity, bending, kneeling, digging, lifting 10-15 pounds

Site Coordinator: Renato Marimón, Restoration Coordinator, Friends of the Rouge

Project description: 

Thank you for your interest in this massive habitat restoration project! Volunteers like you are making a difference for a better Rouge River!

Come out and join us and other volunteers who are helping to restore native habitat to support wildlife, reduce the risk of flooding, and improve water quality, while beautifying the Lower Rouge River floodplain!

With the support of over 350 volunteers, last year we planted nearly 9000 native tree saplings. This spring we are planting over 4,400 more, for a total of over 13,400 trees!

Now, for these late spring events, we will be placing weed mats around these young trees. To make this project successful, these biodegradable weed mats will help protect the tree saplings from competition while they get established during their first few years.

We will provide an enjoyable hands-on opportunity. No prior experience is necessary. Each workday will begin with a 30-minute overview and instructions. Participants should wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and long sleeves. Apply insect and tick repellent, and take normal precautions to prevent insect & tick bites. (Wear light-colored clothing if possible, and tuck pants into socks). Please bring a refillable drinking water bottle if you have one. Large jugs of water will be available on site.

The project is happening on a 6-mile stretch of the Lower Rouge River between S John Hix Road and John Daly Street, north of Michigan Avenue in the Inkster area. Our exact work location each day will depend on the ongoing progress of previous days’ work. Registered volunteers will be emailed their specific meeting/parking instructions a few days prior to their scheduled workday.

Here’s a news clip of the Tree Planting project from last year! https://youtu.be/eEKsthEqyVw

Sign up today and enjoy this great hands-on experience!! Bring along your friends, family, and coworkers.

Thank you for being a part of this important reforestation project – restoring the health of the Rouge River watershed for a flood-resilient and clean water future for Southeast Michigan.

Workday location: A 6-mile stretch of the Lower Rouge River between John Daly Rd. and John Hix Rd.
Registered volunteers will be emailed the specific meeting/parking instructions a few days prior to their scheduled workday.

Questions or Accessibility-Related Needs? Please email Volunteer Coordinator Rosina Newton – RNewton@therouge.org and Site Coordinator Renato Marimón – RMarimon@therouge.org

Accessibility & Difficulty: One to three miles of walking each workday, sometimes on uneven terrain. Low to medium effort, standing, bending, lifting 5-15 pounds. Ground may be wet and slippery. Some forested areas may have dense underbrush to walk through.

The Lower Rouge Reforestation Project is being completed under contract to the Alliance of Rouge Communities (ARC) in partnership with Wayne County Parks.  The project is funded through a larger $4,222,090 US EPA Great Lakes Restoration Grant GL–00E02896 to the ARC.