Thursday, April 23, 2015
Celebrating 29 years of service to the Rouge River, Friends of the Rouge continues to offer countless opportunities for people, of all ages, to learn about and experience the river system right here in our backyard. For instance, the Rouge Education Project engages 2,000+ students throughout the watershed in hands-on science education along the banks of the Rouge River each fall and spring. Volunteer monitoring efforts such as hug hunts and fish surveys capture the hearts of enthusiasts who participate in fun, meaningful data collection and get to experience, first hand, the natural wonders of the river that runs through our neighborhoods.
And, of course Friends of the Rouge is proud to carry on the legacy of Rouge Rescue. A flagship event and annual tradition for the organization, Rouge Rescue is one of the largest annual river clean up events in the country. Over the past 29 years, Rouge Rescue has evolved from a strictly clean-up event to include stewardship efforts such as native plantings, removal of invasive plant species, trail maintenance, woody debris management (in the river), and family friendly educational activities.
In past years, Friends of the Rouge has enjoyed a partnership with the Stage Nature Center and continues to utilize the location as a site for bug hunt data collection.
“Our mission – to promote restoration and stewardship of the Rouge River – is at the core of all that we do,” said Aimee LaLonde-Norman, executive director. “We encourage individuals, families, and groups to join us on the river . . . whether you’re hunting for bugs, helping plant a native garden, or enjoying one of our paddling trips.”
You can get in on the fun and celebrate Earth Day everyday! Upcoming events include a special presentation from the U.S. Coast Guard on April 30, Rouge Rescue throughout the month of May with the primary event occurring on Saturday May 30, Rouge Brew Cruise (fundraising event) on June 18, and Explore the Rouge on Saturday July 11. To get involved with or learn more about Friends of the Rouge, please visit www.therouge.org.
Photos:
Volunteers pull invasive garlic mustard plants in Detroit’s Rouge Park
Hoover Elementary School students plant a native planting along the river in Goudy Park (2011)
A crew from Marine Pollution Control works tirelessly to open log jams for canoe passage in the Lower Branch in the City of Wayne (2012)
Claude Allison Park Rain Garden, Redford Twp. taken July 2014 by Carl Van Aartsen
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
