Each June, Friends of the Rouge, in partnership with Rouge · Each June, Friends of the Rouge, in partnership with Rouge communities and other organizations, brings volunteers together

Each June, Friends of the Rouge, in partnership with Rouge communities and other organizations, brings volunteers together from across the watershed to work toward the common goal of improving the Rouge River for generations to come. This annual event, known as Rouge Rescue, began in 1986 with volunteers removing large quantities of trash from the river. As river sites improved, public perception of the river shifted away from the thought that the river was just an open sewer and a place to dump trash. Today, much of the event is focused on river restoration and volunteers work to remove invasive plants from the river corridor, install native plantings and stabilize stream banks to improve the health of the river.

Rouge Rescue celebrated it’s 25th anniversary this year. I can’t imagine the few dedicated individuals who organized that first cleanup thought that in 25 years we would still be working to “Rescue the Rouge” today. There are many challenges to restoring an urban river and restoration does not come quick. Progress has been made over the past 25 years and the Rouge River is better because of it. Table 1 lists a few highlights from the past 25 years of Rouge Rescue.

The caption from this photo printed in the Observer & Eccentric in 1986 sums up what Rouge Rescue was all about for the first decade and a half or so—log jam removal. Gone are the days of ripping out jog jams and hauling the woody debris away. Today we recognize the value of wood in the river and manage large woody debris to reduce localized erosion and provide habitat for fish and other organisms (aka fish food).

Promoting restoration and stewardship of the Rouge River since 1986

Table 1: Highlights from the past 25 years of Rouge Rescue

Volunteer participation 49,601

Worksites 696

Cubic yards of trash/debris removed 46,300

Vehicles removed 61

Cubic yards of Invasive plants removed (since 2002) 492

Photos from FOTR archives: Left: A group of volunteers show off the work that had

been done. Right: A crowd of volunteers fill a dumpster with large woody debris.

Note the caption of this photo printed in the Observer and Eccentric Newspaper in 1986.

In 2011, Rouge Rescue attracted 1,550+ volunteers who participated in clean up and stewardship projects at 39 worksites in 25 communities across the Rouge River watershed. Table 2 lists site participation by activity for 2011. Twenty‐four sites worked to clean up trash from the river and surrounding natural areas. Invasive plant removal continues to be a popular Rouge Rescue activity with twenty‐two sites working to remove garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, phragmites, buckthorn and honeysuckle. Sixteen sites helped restore the watershed by planting native vegetation. The demise of the Ash trees in Southeast Michigan from the emerald ash borer resulted in 11 worksites managing log jams this year. This is up from 7 sites last year. Thirteen sites conducted educational activities.

A summary of the progress made during Rouge Rescue 2011 is described below and is listed in Table 3. The summary is a compilation of the data reported by the individual sites. Four sites did not provide detailed reports. As a result, the numbers listed below may underestimate the actual numbers. The numbers do represent the success of the event. Trash Removal: 146 cubic yards of trash and debris was removed, including a minimum of 21 tires, 11

shopping carts, 3 bicycles, 1 large appliance and furniture. Aristeo Construction removed an old truck from the floodplain in Eliza Howell Park and strategically placed large tree trunks to prevent future dumping. Invasive Plant Removal: 339 cubic yards of invasive plants were removed to restore the river corridor in parks and preserves across the watershed. The quantity of invasive plants removed was over two times that of trash. This is quite a change from Rouge Rescue events of the past! Native Plants Installed: 700 native wildflowers and grasses and 211 trees were planted to help reduce pollution caused by rain water. These plantings also improve wildlife habitat.

Sites removing trash 24

Sites removing invasive plants 22

Sites installing plantings 16

Number of sites planting:

Rain gardens 1

Riparian buffers 1

Native gardens/ prairies 7

Bio-swales 1

Trees 8

Sites managing wood in the river 11

Sites maintaining trails 6

Sites coordinating educational activities 13

Table 2: Site Participation by Activity

Table 3: Summary of the Progress Made by Task

Trash Removal Cubic yard of trash/debris 146 Tires 21 Shopping carts 11 Bicycles 3 Furniture & appliances 2 Vehicles 1

Invasive Plant Removal Cubic yard of invasive plants 339

Native Plants Installed Flowers/grasses 700 Trees/shrubs 211

Many sites have expanded the types of activities

they coordinate for Rouge Rescue.

Dame’s rocket is one example of a non‐native

invasive plant volunteers pull during Rouge Rescue.

Hooray for our site coordinators! We appreciate the

time you invest in planning and arranging projects for

Rouge Rescue work sites.

“Some of my favorite volunteer experiences were during Rouge Rescue. Every year, my dad, my brother, and I were always the muddiest and craziest volunteers in the river. The organizers always enjoyed seeing us working hard to remove garbage from the river. One year, we pulled out two or three cars. Another year, we found a bicycle, a lawn mower, and about seven shopping carts! The work was very rewarding!” ~Mekie Kukan, volunteer

Rouge Rescue site coordinators are an integral part of Rouge Rescue. Without them the event would not be possible.

These dedicated individuals spend time planning for and arranging activities, gathering supplies, recruiting volunteers

and, generally, doing everything necessary to run the event. Friends of the Rouge thanks these special individuals!

Sponsor support is also essential for the success of Rouge Rescue. Friends of the Rouge would like to thank our

returning sponsors for their continued support. These are: ITC Holdings, Denso International America, Aristeo

Construction, Waste Management, Marathon Petroleum Company and Atlas Specialty Bags. New sponsors this year

include the Alliance of Rouge Communities, Environmental Consulting and Technology, Quicken Loans, and Marine

Pollution Control. Friends of the Rouge is grateful to have the support from the Erb Family Foundation and funding

from the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project.

Coordinator Helena Thornton uses a wagon to carry supplies

to the work site in Hines Park.

Site Coordinator, Larry Quarles and Rick Lewandowski from

Aristeo Construction discuss the logistics of removing a truck

from the woods in Detroit’s Eliza Howell Park.

Volunteers from Denso International America participated at 3 work sites

this year—the DENSO corporate campus, Beech Woods Recreation Center

and the Berberian Woods work sites in Southfield. Denso volunteers also

participated in a garlic mustard cook‐off the week before Rouge Rescue in

anticipation of the removal of the invasive plant.

Kesh Raizada (in yellow) coordinates the Meadows of

Canton site along with family, neighbors and co‐workers

from the Wayne County Public Service Department.

Our community partners provide many contributions—large and small. Friends of the Rouge is grateful for

all they do to help improve the Rouge River for Rouge Rescue and throughout the year.

Beverly Hills

Douglas Evans Nature Preserve

Coordinator: Erin Wilks, Village of Beverly Hills

# Volunteers: 22

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 5 bags

Invasive plant removal: 20 bags of Garlic Mustard,

Dame's Rocket and Honeysuckle spp.

Other activities: Public Education Activities

Birmingham

Linden Park

Coordinator: Connie Folk, City of Birmingham

# Volunteers: 22

Accomplishments:

Invasive plant removal: 120 bags of Garlic Mustard,

Dame's Rocket and Buckthorn spp. in 1/4 acre area

Bloomfield Hills

Cranbrook Insitute of Science

Coordinator: Lisa Appel, Cranbrook Institute of Science

# Volunteers: 55

Accomplishments:

Invasive plant removal: 41 bags of Garlic Mustard

and Dame's Rocket in 1/4 acre area

New plantings: 100 flowers and grasses in an

existing Rain garden

Other activities: Rain Garden Maintenance and

Expansion

Local groups: CIS, Cranbrook LITE Club and Boy

Scouts

E.L. Johnson Nature Center

Coordinators: Dan Badgely, E.L. Johnson Nature

Center

Noah Mehalski, Bloomfield Township

# Volunteers: 44

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 20 bags of trash removed from ¼

acre area


and Dame's Rocket removed from 100 sq. ft. area

New plantings: 10 trees/shrubs were planted

Other activities: Trail maintenance and woodchip

installation

Local groups: Ducks Unlimited

Canton

Lower Rouge Recreational Trail

Coordinator: Greg Pyle, Canton Township

# Volunteers: 202

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 5 cubic yards plus shopping carts

New plantings: 40 trees and 6 flats flowers and

grasses to create a 2,000 sq. ft native plant demon‐

stration garden

Other activities: Public Education Activities and

Nature Walks

Meadows of Canton

Coordinator: Kesh Raizada, Wayne County Public Services

Department

# Volunteers: 107

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 7 bags of trash removed from a

mile of river

Other activities: Public Education Activities and

Nature Walks, including mercury thermometer

exchange, bird house building, bug hunt and storm

drain stenciling Local groups: Meadows of Canton residents,

Wayne County Dept Public Services

Dearborn

Gateway Trail

Coordinator: Thomas Trimble, Christ Church Volunteer

# Volunteers: 16

Accomplishments:


Other activities: Trail Maintenance

Local groups: Christ Church‐Dearborn, University of

Michigan‐ Dearborn Field Biology Students and

Sacred Heart Parish

Garlic Mustard Pull Together

Coordinators: Rick Simek, University of Michigan‐Dearborn,

Environmental Interpretive Center

Karen Marzonie, Henry Ford Estate

Martha Gruelle, Lakeplain Cluster of the

Stewardship Network

Cyndi Ross, Friends of the Rouge

# Volunteers: 55

Accomplishments:

Invasive plant removal: ~ 100 bags

The Henry Ford Estate

Coordinator: Karen Marzonie, Henry Ford Estate

# Volunteers: 16

Accomplishments:


from ¼ acre area

New plantings: 190 native plugs were planted in a

1,200 sq. ft. native plant demonstration garden

Other activities: Nature walks, Public Education

Activities including woodchip spread on 200’ of

trails

Local groups: Henry Ford Estate volunteers

Dearborn Heights

Parkland Park

Coordinator: Steven Roberts, Dearborn Heights Watershed

Stewards Commission

# Volunteers: 48

Accomplishments:



New plantings: Tree planting and 1,000 sq. ft.

native plant demonstration garden


Volunteers weed the native plant grow zone in Parkland

Park in Dearborn Heights

Volunteers stop to learn about the local wildlife at the

Canton Lower Recreation Trail site.

Hines Drive at Outer Drive

Coordinator: Helena Thornton, Dearborn Heights Resident

# Volunteers: 12

Accomplishments:



New plantings: Tree planting

Other activities: Woody Debris Management

Local groups: Wastenotbiz,LLC

Detroit

Eliza Howell Park

Coordinator: Larry Quarles, Friends of Eliza Howell Park

# Volunteers: 23

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 15 bags plus 1 truck and 4 tires

were removed from a 2,640 sq. ft. area

Other activities: Weeded 4 large planting boxes,

spread new wood chips on nature trail, cut grass

around walking trail and large tree trunks were put

in place to stop the dumping of vehicles and debris

into the Rouge River

Local groups: Aristeo Construction, Friends of Eliza

Howell Park, Brightmoor Alliance and Friends of

Rouge Park

Fordson Island

Coordinator: Marina Chavez‐Camarena, Southwest Detroit

Environmental Vision

# Volunteers: 20

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 30 cubic yards including tires,

mattresses, pieces of old furniture, old toys, glass

windows, random bags of trash and some brush

Invasive plant removal: 20 cubic yards of phragmi‐

ties and tree‐of‐heaven from a 70 sq. ft. area

Local groups: Marathon Petroleum Company,

Marine Pollution Control, WSU Students

Rouge Park

Coordinator: Sally Petrella, Friends of Rouge Park

# Volunteers: 109

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 33 bags removed from a 30,000 sq.

ft. area, including 1 tire, front car bumper and

plastic bottles and cans

Invasive plant removal: 34 bags of garlic mustard

removed from a 28,000 sq. ft. area

New plantings: 24 wildflowers and grasses were

installed to create a native plant demonstration

garden

Other activities: 3,000 ft. of walking trail cleaned of

overhanging vegetation. Discovered and cleaned up

meth lab along bike trail in woods.

Local groups: Friends of Rouge Park, Detroit Aero‐

Modelers, City of Detroit, Dtown Farm and Buffalo

Soldiers

Farmington

Shiawassee Park

Coordinator: Martha Ross, Friends of the Rouge Volunteer

# Volunteers: 21

Accomplishments:


Invasive plant removal: 9 cubic yards of Garlic

Mustard, Dame's Rocket, Buckthorn spp and Honey‐

suckle spp in a 8,000 sq. ft. area

New plantings: Expanded an existing riparian buffer

by 50 sq. ft. with 40 native wildflowers


Local groups: Boy Scouts and Church groups

Farmington Hills

Heritage Park

Coordinator: Randy Lovett, City of Farmington Hills

# Volunteers: 36

Accomplishments:

Invasive plant removal: 80 cubic yards of Garlic

Mustard, Buckthorn spp., and Honeysuckle spp.

from a 43,560 sq. ft. area

New plantings: 6 trees

Other activities: Nature Walks, Public Education

Activities and Woody Debris Management

Local groups: Planning Commission and Local

Political Leaders

Oakland Community College

Coordinator: Mike Kadrofske, Oakland Community College

# Volunteers: 28

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 32 bags plus 2 tires, a mailbox,

tennis balls, a basketball and styrofoam removed

from 1/4 mile section at Minnow Drain Pond

Livonia

Coventry Gardens

Coordinator: Chuck Eastman, Coventry Gardens Improve‐

ment Association

# Volunteers: 12

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 8 bags plus 1 bike and clothing


New plantings: Planted a 25 sq. ft. native plant

demonstration garden


Trinity Church

Coordinator: David Weigel, Trinity Church

# Volunteers: 27

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 32 bags plus 2 tires, car parts, 2

bicycles and a guard rail removed


removed

Local groups: Trinity Church and Redford Union

High School

Volunteers spread woodchips to maintain the trail in Eliza

Howell Park in Detroit.

Volunteers from Marathon, Marine Pollution Control and the

surrounding neighborhood work near Fordson Island

It wouldn’t be Rouge Rescue without Aristeo Construction

removing a vehicle from the river or floodplain! Thanks to

Aristeo, 24 1/2 vehicles have been removed, since 2006.

Young volunteers help clean up trash at the Fordson

Island worksite.

Golf/Foch Nature Preserve

Coordinator: Douglas Moore, City of Livonia

# Volunteers: 26

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 25 bags plus 2 tires, 3 shopping

carts, 1 stove, plywood, cinder blocks, landscape

debris and a baby seat

New plantings: 100 trees over 1,000 sq. ft.

Other activities: Woody Debris Management, 1 log

jam cleaned of trash

Local groups: City of Livonia, area residents

Northville

Allen Drive Park

Coordinator: Janine Bauchat, Northville Resident

No data provided

Northville Twp.

Bennett Arboretum

Coordinator: Jordyn Salmon, The Office of Commissioner

Laura Cox

No data provided

Linear Park

Coordinator: Jill Rickard, Northville Township

# Volunteers: 30

Accomplishments:

Other activities: Children’s Educational Activities

Stonewater Community

Coordinator: Lora Wright, Stonewater Community Resident

# Volunteers: 13

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 5 bags plus a “Lumber for Sale” sign

Invasive plant removal: Phragmites control

New plantings: 6 trees were planted

Other activities: Woody Debris Management, 1 log

jam cleaned and opened

Local groups: Boy Scouts

Northville Recreation Area

Coordinator: Brady Tyburski, Boy Scout

# Volunteers: 31

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 12 bags plus boards, pallet, base‐

balls, beer bottles


Local groups: Boy Scout Troop 777

Novi

Rotary Park

Coordinator: Wendy DuVall, City of Novi

# Volunteers: 57

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 16 bags & 30 cubic yards of debris

including bottles, cans, shoes, plastic grocery bags,

foam, rope and a chair cushion

Invasive plant removal: 6 bags and 10 cubic yards

of Garlic Mustard from a 1 mile area

New plantings: Planted 5 Flats flowers in a bio‐

swale

Local groups: Toyota and Rotary

Plymouth

Liberty Trash Grab

Coordinators: Mary Jo Cothery and Joe Walters, Liberty

Street Brewing Company

Sue Thompson, Friends of the Rouge Board of

Directors

# Volunteers: 10

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 8 bags (42 1/2 pounds!)

Lion’s Club Park

Coordinator: Adam Gerlach, City of Plymouth

# Volunteers: 80

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 12 bags and 37 cubic yards of trash

removed from 65,000 sq. ft. area, including bricks,

concrete, stumps, dead trees and root balls

Other activities: Woody Debris Management and

Storm Drain Stenciling

Local groups: Ward Church, Plymouth First United

Methodist Church, Cub Scout Pack 773, Girl Scout

Brownies 40392, Plymouth Lion’s Club, Bets of

Plymouth and National Miss America

Plymouth Twp.

Lake Pointe Soccer Park

Coordinator: Susan Vignoe, Plymouth Township

# Volunteers: 53

Accomplishments:

New plantings: 27 trees/shrubs and 19 wildflowers

were planted in a 1,000 sq. ft. area

Other activities: Public Education Activities, includ‐

ing 60 Storm drain markings

Local groups: AISIN, Boy Scouts, Spalding Decker

Assoc. Co.

Redford

Jane Addams Elementary

Coordinator: Jennifer Lawson, Redford Twp. Resident

No data provided

Southfield

Berberian Woods

Coordinators: Gail Barber, Southfield Resident

Heather Huffstutler, Six Rivers Regional Land

Conservancy

# Volunteers: 20

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 1 tire


and Dame's Rocket from 16 acre area

Local groups: DENSO and Six Rivers Regional Land

Conservancy

DENSO

Coordinator: Melissa Smith, DENSO International America

# Volunteers: 111

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 6 bags plus 2 tires, 2 shopping carts,

2 sheets of metal, grating and a metal table


and Dame's Rocket

Other activities: Woody Debris Management 1 log

jam cleaned and opened

Volunteers at the Allen Drive Park site plant a native

wildflower planting and weed an existing prairie planting

along the Middle Rouge in Northville

Pulling garlic mustard is a family affair at the Berberian

Woods Nature Preserve

Stonewater Community volunteers gettin’ ready to work

Beech Woods Recreation Center

Coordinator: Brandy Siedlaczek, City of Southfield

# Volunteers: 53

Accomplishments:


Local groups: DENSO, Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter Day Saints, Southfield Korean Presbyterian

Church, Madonna Ecological Volunteer Organization

Superior Twp

Kosch Headwaters Preserve

Coordinator: Scott Tyrrell, Southeast Michigan Land Conser‐

vancy

# Volunteers: 9

Accomplishments:


Walled Lake

Mercer Beach Party

Coordinator: Lisa McGill, City of Walled Lake

# Volunteers: not a volunteer event

Accomplishments:

Other activities: Public Education Event

Wayne

Dynamite Park

Coordinator: Kurt Kuban, Wayne Resident

# Volunteers: 55

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 10 bags plus 6 tires, a go‐cart, lots

of bottles and cans, a cooler, waste basket and

various containers

Invasive plant removal: Japanese Knapweed

New plantings: 259 native wildflowers to create a

native plant demonstration garden

Other activities: Woody Debris Management and

Nature Walks. Cleaned and opened dozens of log

jams to open canoe route. Also built 7 benches

along walking trail and did some trail maintenance.

Local groups: City of Wayne, Kiwanis Club, Rotary

Club

Goudy Park

Coordinator: Amy Morse, Hoover Elementary School

# Volunteers: 56

Accomplishments:

New plantings: 258 native wildflowers were

planted to create a native plant demonstration

garden along the Lower Rouge

Local groups: Hoover Elementary Students, Friends

of the Rouge

Westland

Holliday Nature Preserve

Coordinators: Kevin Buford, City of Westland

Bill Craig, Holliday Nature Preserve Association

# Volunteers: 31

Accomplishments:

Trash removal: 30 bags and 6 shopping carts

Invasive plant removal: 3 truckloads of chipped

honeysuckle (approximately 36 cubic yards)


West Bloomfield

West Bloomfield Nature Preserve

Coordinator: Laurel Zoet, West Bloomfield Township

# Volunteers: 39

Accomplishments:

Invasive plant removal: 9 bags of Dame's Rocket

Other activities: Public Education and Nature Walks

Local groups: West Bloomfield Residents

Hauling a shopping cart out of the Holliday Nature

Preserve at the end of the day.

Hoover Elementary students plant a native garden near

the banks of the Lower Rouge at Goudy Park in Wayne Volunteers work to remove honeysuckle, a non‐native

invasive shrub, from the Holliday Nature Preserve.

Students plant native wildflowers at Goudy Park

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed,

it is the only thing that ever has.”

~ Margaret Mead Twenty‐five years ago a few dedicated individuals teamed up to organize Friends of the Rouge and held the first Rouge Rescue to raise public awareness of the troubled river flowing through the most populated communities in Michigan. This led to a quarter century of watershed education and stewardship of the Rouge River!

A few familiar faces line up in sequence to show

off their t‐shirts from 1987 to 1990.

The Rouge River has come a long way—what

was once thought of as a dumping ground and

an open sewer, today provides recreation

opportunities close to home.

To learn about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities contact

Cyndi Ross at 313.792.9621 or visit us online at www.therouge.org.

Promoting restoration and stewardship of the Rouge River since 1986

Documents

Each June, Friends of the Rouge, in partnership with Rouge · Each June, Friends of the Rouge, in partnership with Rouge communities and other organizations, brings volunteers together