Rouge Rescue Sites
Springtime cleaning isn’t just for our homes! It is also a time for cleaning up our river, parks and preserves. Join us for our 23rd annual Rouge Rescue event. This year we have activities taking place throughout the Rouge Watershed on Saturday June 7th and a couple of activities taking place a little earlier; one in West Bloomfield on April 26th and the other in Livonia on May 3rd.
Please come out and help! Find an activity that interests you or participate in your community – either way contact the Site Coordinator to let them know you plan to participate at their site. Our Coordinators work hard to plan rewarding work to help protect and restore our river! It would be helpful for them to know the number of volunteers they can expect before the day of the event. A list of sites/activities follows.
Additional information:
Friends of the Rouge is sponsoring a work day at a restoration project planted in Rotary Park in the City of Livonia on May 3rd. Volunteer help is needed! We will be weeding a native planting in a wet swale that drains to the river. Please call or e-mail Cyndi Ross at 313 792-9621 or riverrestoration@therouge.org to register or for more information.
Earth Day Rain Barrel Sale - The Oakland Conservation District is now accepting orders for Rain Barrels in celebration of Earth Day, April 22, 2008. The Conservation District has negotiated a special $99.00 price with Rain Barrel USA to offer 60 gallon, made in the USA, rain barrels to homeowners in the Metro area. Rain barrels reduce the stormwater system burden faced by municipalities and protects our stream and river water quality from undesired sediments and runoff. By recycling rain water, we avoiding ponding, downspout flows
on driveways, etc. Orders will be accepted until May 14th, 2008. Pick up locations are Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg and SOCRRA in Madison Heights on May 31st from 9 AM to 4 PM. For more information or to order, visit the web site www.oaklandconservationdistrict.org and click on the Rain Barrel button, or call 248-328-0594.
Pre-Rouge Rescue opportunities:
West Bloomfield Woods Nature Preserve
Date: April 26, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 4655 Arrowhead Road
City: West Bloomfield
Contact: Laurel Zoet
Phone: 248.451.1917
Email: l_zoet@westbloomfieldparks.org
Activities: Stewardship walk - volunteers will pick up trash as they walk.
Family friendly: Yes
Moelke Park
Date: May 3, 2008
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: 19422 Lathers, north of 7 Mile Road between Middlebelt and Inkster Roads
City: Livonia
Contact: Doug Moore
Phone: 734.466.2617
E-mail: dmoore@ci.livonia.mi.us
Activities: Work will focus along the floodplain south from 8 Mile to 7 Mile Roads
Number of volunteers needed: 50
June 7th Rouge Rescue opportunities:
Beech Woods Recreation Center
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Beech Road just south of Nine Mile Road
City: Southfield
Contact: Brandy Siedlaczek
Phone: 248.796.4806
E-mail: bsiedlaczek@cityofsouthfield.com
Activities: Woody debris management
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 200
Berberian Woods section of the Valley Woods Nature Preserve
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Meet at the end of Streamwood Lane, south of 12 Mile Road between Lasher and Telegraph Roads.
City: Southfield
Contact: Heather Huffstutler
Phone: 248.601.2816
E-mail: hhuffstutler@oaklandlandconservancy.org
Activities: Invasive plant removal (garlic mustard). Help protect this high quality forest parcel in the heart of Southfield. Learn how this land became protected, tour the site - take a look at the river overlook and floodplain forest and spend a few hours pulling garlic mustard.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 30
Canton Recreation Trail
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Along the Lower Rouge River on the north side of Michigan Ave, just west of Morton Taylor
City: Canton
Contact: Erika Hidalgo
Phone: 734.394.5150
E-mail: ehidalgo@canton-mi.org
Activities: Planting, nature walks, stream bank stabilization, bird house building, scavenger hunt, woody debris management and clean up of the Lower Rouge River.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 350
Dearborn Gateway Trail
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Michigan Avenue and Brady
City: Dearborn
Contact: Thomas Trimble
Phone: 313.414.6277
E-mail: mars@americanmars.com
Activities: Trash pick up and invasive species removal.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 20
Douglas Evans Nature Preserve and Riverside Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Evergreen Road between 13 Mile and 14 Mile Roads
City: Beverly Hills
Contact: Howard Knorr
Phone: 248.645.0619
E-mail: HowKnorr@aol.com
Activities: Invasive plant removal and clearing excessive downfall from the river.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 30
E.L. Johnson Nature Center/Bloomfield Township
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 3325 Franklin Road
City: Bloomfield Hills
Contact: Noah Mehalski, Bloomfield Township
Phone: 248.594.2808
Email: nmehalski@bloomfieldtwp.org
Activities: Plantings, benthic macroinvertebrates activity, and scavenger hunt
Family friendly: Yes
Farmington Founders Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Founders Park is located on the north side of 8 Mile Road, one-quarter mile east of Halsted
City: Farmington Hills
Contact: Tracy Slintak
Phone: 248.871.2555
E-mail: TSlintak@fhgov.com
Activities: Trash pick up and planting native plant buffer
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 60
Fish Hatchery Park
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: South of 7 Mile Road between Beck and Sheldon Roads
City: Northville Twp
Contact: Jill Rickard
Phone: 248.662.0497
E-mail: jrickard@twp.northville.mi.us
Activities: Family focused public education - games & crafts for children. Light snacks provided.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 200
Fordson Island
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Powell Street off Heidt Street at concrete block wall.
City: Detroit
Contact: Marina Chavez-Camerena
Phone: 313.842.1961
E-mail: marina_swdev@flash.net
Activities: Clean up the site and spruce up garden by replanting flowers and adding new mulch or woodchips. Also touching up paint on wall mural.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 40
George W. Kuhn Combined Sewer Overflow Facility
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 1400 Ajax Drive, Maddison Heights
City: Madison Heights
Contact: Jacy Garrison
Phone: 248.858.5264
E-mail: garrisonj@oakgov.com
Activities: Tours of combined sewer overflow facility. The George W. Kuhn combined sewer overflow facility serves all or part of 14 communities. During dry weather, all flow is routed to the Detroit Waste Water Treatment Plant, but during heavy rainfall, high volumes of combined sewage exceed the outlet capacity to Detroit and can overflow to the Red Run Drain. All discharges are screened, settled and disinfected prior to release.
Family friendly: Yes
Goudy Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: 3355 S. Wayne Rd
City: Wayne
Contact: Kurt Kuban
Phone: 734.716.0783
Email: kkuban3240@aol.com
Activities: Removal of invasive plants from bio swales at City Hall parking lot and woody debris management.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 75
Henry Ford Estate Trail Garden/ Environmental Interpretive Center
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 4901 Evergreen Road (University of Michigan-Dearborn campus) Meet at the Tour Ticket office.
City: Dearborn
Contact: Karen Marzonie
Phone: 313.593.5580
E-mail: marzonie@umd.umich.edu
Activities: Invasive species removal and habitat scavenger hunt
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 50
Holliday Nature Preserve
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
City: Westland
Contact: Bob Patterson
Phone: 734.595.0288
Email: pattersonwestland@wowway.com
Activities: TBA
Number of volunteers needed: 125
Jaycee Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Jaycee Park, north of Long Lake Road between Rochester Road and John R
City: Troy
Contact: Jennifer Lawson
Phone: 248.524.3381
Email: j.lawson@ci.troy.mi.us
Activities: Streambank stabilization project - planting native plugs, spreading seed, spreading straw blankets, trash pick up, invasive plant removal and possibly release minnows.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 100
Kosch Headwaters Preserve
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: 8383 Vreeland Road, Superior Twp. (1/4 Mile south of Ford Road)
City: Superior Twp
Contact: Jack Smiley
Phone: 734.484.6565
E-mail: Smileysmlc@aol.com
Activities: Trash pick up, invasive species removal and trail clearing
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 30
Linden Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Between West Lincoln and Linden Road off Shirley.
City: Birmingham
Contact: Connie Folk
Phone: 248.645.0731
E-mail: cfolk@ci.birmingham.mi.us
Activities: Trash pick up, laying wood chips and invasive plant removal along the Main Branch of the Rouge
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 25
Lola Valley Park/ Bell Creek Park
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Check in for both sites at the CSO Basking in Lola Valle Park, 16201 Lola (east of Beech Daly, between 5 & 6 Mile Roads)
City: Redford Twp
Contact: Carl Van Aartsen
Phone: 313.794.5741
E-mail: cvanaartsen2@twmi.rr.com
Activities: Invasive plant species removal (buckthorn & garlic mustard), opening log jams, storm drain stenciling and general debris removal from Rouge areas.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 170
Meadows of Canton & Wildwood Spring Subdivisions
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m
Location:
City: Canton
Contact: Kesh Raizada
Phone: 734.722.8990
E-mail: kraizada@co.wayne.mi.us
Activities: Storm drain stenciling, Bug Hunt (learn about life in the stream!), trash pick up, birdhouse building, goody bags for kids, refreshments and more. Bring your old mercury thermometer to exchange for a new digital thermometer.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 185
Newburgh Lake
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Hines Park, Newburgh Rd. between Hines Drive and Ann Arbor Road
City: Livonia
Contact: Patty Byrne
Phone: 734.748.5822
Email: thepurplegang117@sbcglobal.net
Activities: Trash pick up, possible native planting (if funds/plants available) and Bobwhite release.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 100
Oakland Community College
Time: 8:30 a.m.. - 12:00 a.m.
Location: Orchard Ridge Campus, Oakland Drive between Farmington and Orchard Lake Roads
City: Farmington Hills
Contact: Mike Kadrofske
Phone: 248.522.3405
Email: mkkadrof@oaklandcc.edu
Activities: Clean up stretch of Minnow Pond Creek that runs through campus.
Number of volunteers needed: 50
Parkland Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Ann Arbor Trail, west of Evergreen
City: Dearborn Heights
Contact: Steve Ray
Phone: 313.278.1078
Email: sray313@yahoo.com
Activities: Volunteers will be divided into 10 teams to work on the following activities. Contact site coordinator in advance to reserve a spot on a team to be a team captain. Activities: Trash/debris clean up, grow zones weeding and maintenance, and invasive plant removal.
Number of volunteers needed: 60
Plymouth Township
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: TBA
City: Plymouth Twp
Contact: Susan Vignoe
Phone: 734.354.3270 ex 4
Email: svignoe@plymouthtwp.org
Activities: TBA
Number of volunteers needed: 60
Roeper School
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Roeper Lower School/ Murphy Creek, 41190 Woodward Ave
City: Bloomfiled Hills
Contact: Tom Elliott
Phone: 248.807.6311
E-mail: intergolfinc@ameritech.net
Activities: River clean up, woody debris management (open log jam), tree planting, planting native plants, trail building, maintain established plantings, invasive plant removal. Lunch provided.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 30
Rotary Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 22220 Roethel Drive, south of 9 Mile Road between Novi and Meadowbrook Roads.
City: Novi
Contact: Steve Printz
Phone: 248.347.0401
E-mail: sprintz@cityofnovi.org
Activities: River clean up, trail maintenance, birdhouse installation, mulching and native wildflower garden installation
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 85
Rouge Park
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Joy Road and Spinoza
City: Detroit
Contact: Sally Petrella
Phone: 313.792.9621
E-mail: monitoring@therouge.org
Activities: Invasive species removal, trash pick up, river work, planting and more. Rouge Park celebration
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 300
Shiawassee Park
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Park in the parking lot off Powers Road north of Grand River Ave (south of Shiawassee Road)
City: Farmington
Contact: Martha Ross
Phone: 248.476.6715
E-mail: mvrross@yahoo.com
Activities: Weed native plant buffer planted by Friends of the Rouge in 2005
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 35
Tonquish Creek Manor
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: 1160 Sheridan
City: Plymouth
Contact: Chris Porman
Phone: 734.453.7737 ex 108
E-mail: cporman@ci.plymouth.mi.us
Activities: Trash pick up, spreading wood chips
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 90
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Environmental Interpretive Center, 4901 Evergreen Road
City: Dearborn
Contact: Sarah VanBuren
Phone: 313.792.9621
Email: pisupport@therouge.org
Activities: Invasive species removal, trail upkeep
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 30+
Walled Lake
Time: 8:30 a.m.. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Mercer Beach and Historic Downtown Area. Meet at the DPW Building located at 1499 E West Maple Road
City: Walled Lake
Contact: Lisa McGill
Phone: 248.624.4849
Email: lmcgill@walledlake.com
Activities: Clean up beach and downtown area. Coffee, water and donuts provided.
Family friendly: Yes
Number of volunteers needed: 20
Last Updated: 1/10/08
Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to C. O'Meara.
The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -07 and C-264000-01.