About Us
The Friends of the Detroit River was formed by a small group of concerned citizens. Initially, the group assembled to prevent the establishment of a deep injection well into the Detroit River near Melvindale.
Although that project never happened, the founding members of FDR realized that there were many issues threatening the health of the river, including:
Air and water pollution; development on fragile shorelines; habitat loss and degradation; pollution; and littering.
In 1996, developers announced plans to build houses, a marina and a golf course on the 410-acre Humbug Marsh in the Trenton and Gibraltar areas. The mile long Humbug Marsh shoreline is the only remaining natural shoreline on the U.S. side of the Detroit River.
FDR rallied its members and joined with other citizens’ groups to oppose the developers. FDR membership increased dramatically, demonstrating the great concern of local residents about the potential loss of this valuable habitat for fish and wildlife. After a contentious seven-year battle, the developers were unable to acquire the permits necessary to proceed to develop the property and abandoned the project.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) purchased the property, which includes a 30-acre island, on a temporary basis in 2003. One year later, the federal government purchased the property from TPL and Humbug Marsh was protected and incorporated into the newly established Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
In the meantime, FDR became aware of an international organization called the Waterkeeper Alliance, which establishes programs of water keepers to serve as citizens' advocates for particular bodies of water. The Alliance programs closely mirrored the ideals of FDR. FDR applied to become a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, and was accepted, and celebrated the inception of the Detroit Riverkeeper Program in the fall of 2002. FDR hired the first Detroit Riverkeeper, and raised funds for a patrol boat, which has been on the water since 2005.
During this early post-Humbug period, the Environmental Protection Agency asked FDR to consider reviving the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan (RAP), which had been essentially inactive for several years. The RAP consists of area stakeholders (businesses, local governments, and citizens), and the RAP's Public Advisory Council (PAC) identifies impairments to the river's health and proposes projects to address those impairments. The RAP and its PAC is the conduit for habitat restoration grants. FDR has led and served as the fiduciary for the PAC since the revival of the RAP.
The expansion of FDR's responsibilities has led to many things. FDR recognized that it needed staffing to accomplish many of its more ambitious objectives. The organization hired a part-time office manager, and later switched that position to full-time, when the title changed to Director of Operations. FDR, through the PAC, received three Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants in 2010 totaling about $3 million, for two projects on Belle Isle and one at U. S. Steel in Ecorse, which were successfully completed in 2013. Since then, FDR, through the PAC, has received habitat restoration grants for the removal of invasive plant species on Belle Isle, and planning grants for habitat restoration on Stony and Celeron Islands, Hennepin Marsh and for Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle.
With all the challenges and threats that remain to the Detroit River, there is much history yet to be made by the Friends of the Detroit River.
Our Board
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Matt Shackelford, Chairman
Matt first became aware of Friends of the Detroit River while in college, when a professor announced a public meeting being held at Carlson High school regarding Humbug Marsh. Matt has been board member since 2005. Graduating from University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s of Science degree and a focus on Aquatic Ecology. Matt is an avid fisherman and enjoys volunteering to support the Detroit River.
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Mary Bohling, Vice Chair
Mary and her family started volunteering for Friends of the Detroit River clean-ups in 2002, giving her a chance to learn about the organization. Since then, her involvement in other aspects of the organization has grown. She became active with the Detroit River Public Advisory Council in 2008, was elected Chair in 2010 and continues to serve in that capacity today. She joined the board in 2018 and was elected Vice Chair in 2022. Mary earned a master's degree in environmental science and bachelor's degree in environmental science, environmental studies and anthropology from the University of Michigan. Mary is an avid outdoors woman who loves to enjoy the Detroit River through hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing.
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Joel Sherrard, Treasurer
Joel joined Friends of the Detroit River Board of Directors in 2021 and was nominated as Treasurer in 2023. At this stage in his life he wants to focus his energy on missions that not only benefit his generation but generations to come. FDR’s mission is one that he holds dear and he’s excited to be a part of it.
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Kayla McRobb, Secretary
Kayla learned about Friends of the Detroit River while volunteering for another watershed group in 2017. She was working outside of her field of study and wanted to use her degree to help improve the watersheds of Southeast Michigan. She joined the board in 2017 and became the Secretary in 2020. She has a Master's degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and a Bachelor's degree in Biology, both from Eastern Michigan University. She loves to kayak, hike, and SCUBA dive, and is happy to report that she now gets to work in lakes, streams, and wetlands frequently
Not Pictured: Jennifer Draper, Laurine Griffin, David Howell, Tiffany Jones, and Jane Mackey
2024 Board Meeting Schedule
1/24/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
2/28/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
3/27/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
4/24/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
5/22/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
6/26/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
7/24/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
8/28/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
9/25/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
10/23/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
12/4/24 from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Friends of the Detroit River wants YOU to get involved!
Our Team
Eric Antolak, Trail Program Manager
eantolak@detroitriver.org (He/Him)
Eric Antolak graduated from Eastern Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Sport Performance and Business and a Master of Science in Sport Management. He has spent the last seven years working in recreation, managing staff, programs, and assisting with facility renovation projects. He is an avid outdoorsman, spending much of his free time fishing, hunting, and biking. Being a lifelong resident of Downriver, Eric loves the community and looks forward to improving the accessibility of our amazing trail systems. His passion for recreation, the outdoors, and working with people have made his career fulfilling and exciting.
Tricia Blicharski, Executive Director
tblicharski@detroitriver.org (She/Her)
Tricia has been with the Friends of the Detroit River since 2009. As a passionate advocate of restoring natural areas, she has overseen the implementation of over $30 million of habitat restoration work in our river. Early in her career at FDR, she helped to bring back the Detroit River Water Festival to teach local students about the importance of clean, fresh water. Now she oversees strategic planning implementation in order to propel the organization in a more impactful, holistic way. Her ability to coordinate across sectors and build partnerships has helped transform FDR from a grassroots advocacy group into a changemaking watershed organization. This work could not be achieved without countless partners, supporters, and a dedicated team.
Robert Burns, Detroit Riverkeeper
rlb315@comcast.net (He/Him)
Robert Burns, a lifelong resident of the Detroit River, grew up exploring the many islands, marshlands and man-made dikes that make up the lower Detroit River. In his many years of working on the water, he developed a good understanding and appreciation for not only the natural diversity and beauty found along the river but also gained an invaluable understanding of the problems created by decades of abuse. He currently serves as Detroit Riverkeeper for FDR, working to preserve, protect and improve the waters and habitats of the Detroit River.
Elizabeth Perera, Stewardship Associate
eperera@detroitriver.org (They/Them)
Elizabeth grew up in the Northwest suburbs near Detroit and worked out of state with various nonprofits engaging communities in food justice, health, and in polar science. Previous teaching and logistics work took them to Alaska, Iceland, and to Toronto, where they studied Arctic wetland hydrology and received an MSc in Geography from York University. Elizabeth is passionate about providing accessible resources and loves working with communities to raise awareness on climate change and health. They also teach martial arts and enjoy music, crafting, and being outside.
Kaylee Peterson, Development & Communications Manager
kpeterson@detroitriver.org (She/Her)
Kaylee graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. She has been with Friends of the Detroit River since 2019, where she works on fundraising initiatives, building partnerships & strengthening relationships, and creates marketing & educational materials. Kaylee is passionate about connecting people with nature and hopes it sparks their interest in local, and global, conservation efforts. When she’s not working you can find her picking rocks or edible mushrooms, practicing film photography, or hiking the trails.
McKenzi Waliczek, Stewardship Director
mwaliczek@detroitriver.org (She/Her)
McKenzi is a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with an extensive field background in restoring native habitats, managing invasive species, and providing education outreach. She joined Friends of the Detroit River as the Stewardship Director in 2022, where she works to protect, enhance, and raise awareness on the Detroit River watershed.
Sam Walsh, Operations Manager
swalsh@detroitriver.org (She/Her)
Sam grew up in the Detroit area and is currently working on her Master of Arts degree in biology with Miami University’s Project Dragonfly. She is passionate about wildlife and conservation and enjoys exploring new places outdoors. She previously worked with the Michigan DNR on Belle Isle and also provided communications and administrative support for a conservation nonprofit in Washington, DC. Sam joined the Friends of the Detroit River team in November 2021.
Restoring Fish and Wildlife Habitat on the Detroit River
Watch this brief video, produced by the Great Lakes Commission and Friends of the Detroit River, on the work that we and our partners do.
