In this issue: Grand River Rainscaping Program, Plainsong Farm Grant, Watershed Summer Tips, Indian Mill Creek Cleanup Recap, Upcoming Events, and LGROW Spotlight!

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GVMC Department of Environmental Programs

Seasonal Newsletter
Summer 2018

BECOME A WATERSHED WARRIOR

You can become a champion of the Watershed!

Become a member of LGROW today.

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F O L L O W on F A C E B O O K

F O L L O W on I N S T A G R A M

F O L L O W on T W I T T E R

V I S I T our W E B S I T E

Highlights

Grand River Rainscaping Program

Treating Stormwater Naturally

LGROW received a 5 Star and Urban Waters grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for our pilot Rainscaping Program. This grant allows LGROW, Trout Unlimited, Plaster Creek Stewards, Native Plant Guild, and WMEAC to construct six demonstration rain gardens in three target watersheds; Indian Mill Creek, Rogue River, and Plaster Creek. There will be two demonstration sites in each watershed which will be accessible by the public.

One demonstration site has already been built in the Indian Mill Creek Watershed at West Catholic High School. Another is planned at the Blandford Nature Center adjacent to Brandywine Creek on Milo Street. Trout Unlimited and Plaster Creek Stewards have plants to install two curb cut rain gardens in each the Rogue River Watershed, and the Plaster Creek Watershed later this summer.

The Grand River Rainscaping Program will introduce homeowners to residential green infrastructure practices that will allow them to manage their stormwater naturally. Through this program, LGROW and partners offer FREE site assessments to homeowners to assess the suitability for green infrastructure practices on their property.

Learn more and sign up for a free site assessment here

Demonstration Site at West Catholic High School

Public Education

GRANT AWARDED FOR HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT PLAINSONG FARM

Rockford, Michigan – The Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW), in collaboration with Plainsong Farm, Trout Unlimited and the Kent Conservation District, has received a $38,000 grant from the Wege Foundation for a pilot program that exposes middle-school students to sustainable agriculture and land/water conservation. The two-year curriculum will provide practical, immersive farm-based environmental education for middle-school students in the Rogue River watershed. Students from Sparta Middle School and East Rockford Middle School will participate in the program.

This project connects to the Wege Foundation’s long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability by cultivating a new generation of watershed stewards who are knowledgeable about land-use practices and sustainable food systems. Plainsong Farm will provide a place where teachers from the watershed can bring students of different backgrounds for shared experiential learning and practice. Specifically, they will learn about: soil health, water conservation, integrated pest management and pollinators, sustainable food systems, and agroecology. Student learning will be connected to real-life conservation taking place in the Rogue River and Indian Mill Creek watersheds under the $8 million Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council received from the Natural Resource Conservation Service in 2017.

“Sustainable food production and rural land use are important to maintaining and improving watershed health. We’re excited to nurture practical skills and a stewardship ethic in local students through this program,” said Eileen Boekestein, Environmental Education Coordinator at GVMC.

Upon completion of the pilot program, the collaborative organizations will develop a strategic plan for Plainsong Farm to be used for ongoing, year-round environmental education programming, including demonstration workshops highlighting student-led stewardship projects.

“When we began Plainsong Farm, we hoped to create a location for environmental education for students, faith groups, and all members of the community. It’s exciting to see this program begin,” said Nurya Love Parish, Executive Director of Plainsong Farm.

Annual Indian Mill Creek Spring Cleanup

With help from roughly fifty (50) volunteers, LGROW cleaned up Indian Mill Creek between Bristol Ave. and Richmond Park. We split into two groups and removed garbage, tires, and various other items from the creek.

A big thank you to all of our volunteers, Richmond Park, Betz Industries, City of Walker and the City of Grand Rapids for all of their combined efforts in this cleanup.

Learn more about Indian Mill Creek here

Upcoming Events

Grand River Water Festival

June 23, 2018 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Riverside Park (map)

For more details click here

Project WET WORKSHOP

June 27, 2018 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
GVSU AWRI (map)

For more details click here

WhiteCaps Concourse Table

July 26, 2018 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fifth Third Ball Park (map)

For more details click here

Friends of Buck Creek Annual Clean Up

August 18, 2018 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

For more details click here

Making the Case for Green Infrastructure

August 23, 2018 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
City Flats Hotel (map)

For more details click here

Volunteers Wanted!

LGROW Spotlight

Meet Courtney, the newest LGROW intern. Courtney was hired for the summer and will spend most of her time in the field checking Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) outfalls for illicit discharge. She will be observing outfalls of the storm sewer system in dry weather for illicit discharges, as a part of the MS4 permit requirements.

Courtney is an environmental enthusiast with a degree in Geography from Aquinas College. Since graduating she spent the last year working with non-profit organizations and environmental education. Courtney has a passion for volunteering and educating people of all ages about the importance restoration and conservation. She looks forward to growing her knowledge in environmental policy and analysis.