The Detroit River Public Advisory Council is hosting Community Forums for the public to learn more about the Detroit River Area of Concern (AOC), past AOC projects, and gather input on what future habitat restoration projects should look like.  The forums will allow the community to ask questions and discuss future visioning for the Detroit River. The goals of the Community Forums are to provide opportunities to openly share community needs, visions, and help collaborate with the public in future restoration efforts. Click here to view the event flyer.

The Detroit River Public Advisory Council is hosting Community Forums for the public to learn more about the Detroit River Area of Concern (AOC), past AOC projects, and gather input on what future habitat restoration projects should look like.  The forums will allow the community to ask questions and discuss future visioning for the Detroit River. The goals of the Community Forums are to provide opportunities to openly share community needs, visions, and help collaborate with the public in future restoration efforts. Click here to view the event flyer.

Mark your calendars for a standout event that’s set to highlight a year of impactful work and exciting developments for the Friends of the Detroit River. Our Annual Meeting is just around the corner, promising an engaging evening filled with insightful updates and meaningful conversations. It is happening on Thursday, October 10 at the Sandtrap in Riverview from 6pm to 9pm. Located inside the Banquet Center, left of entrance.

We are thrilled to announce that Tom Daldin and Jim Edelman, hosts of the popular television program Under the Radar Michigan, will be joining us as guest speakers. Their enthusiasm and deep knowledge of Michigan’s hidden gems are sure to bring an extra layer of excitement to the event. Tickets for the dinner are $60/person and can be purchased using the button below or by mailing a check to our office (20600 Eureka Rd. Suite 250, Taylor, MI 48180). View event flyer here!

Join FDR and Downriver Linked Greenways for a 14 mile bike ride through Huroc Park (Flat Rock) and surrounding areas on Sunday, October 6. All participants must bring their own bike and helmet. This event is open to all ages. Registration is required!

Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to unload your bike and sign in for the ride. Riders are meeting in the parking lot on the east side of Arsenal Road. In the event of inclement weather, a rain date of Oct 13 has been set. Click here to view event flyer!

The Detroit River Public Advisory Council is hosting Community Forums for the public to learn more about the Detroit River Area of Concern (AOC), past AOC projects, and gather input on what future habitat restoration projects should look like.  The forums will allow the community to ask questions and discuss future visioning for the Detroit River. The goals of the Community Forums are to provide opportunities to openly share community needs, visions, and help collaborate with the public in future restoration efforts. Click here to view the event flyer.

Join Friends of the Detroit River, Wildness Inquiry, and Detroit Outdoors at Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle to celebrate National Public Lands Day! Explore on-land booths and activities to learn more about our local natural resources. Enjoy seeing Belle Isle by paddling Lake Okonoka with 10-person canoes provided by Wilderness Inquiry.

This event is FREE and open to all ages, youth under 18 will need to accompanied by an adult. State Recreation Passport is required to participate! Registration is not required but is encouraged. For more details, please email McKenzi Waliczek at mwaliczek@detroitriver.org. Click here to view event flyer!

In partnership with the Belle Isle Conservancy and their Keep Belle Isle Beautiful initiative, FDR will be hosting a cleanup on the canals of Belle Isle. Some kayaks will be provided on a first come basis, otherwise participants are encouraged to bring their own. If you prefer to cleanup on land, there will be areas for you to do so!

Volunteers are to check in behind the Belle Isle Aquarium at 9:30 am.

Cleanup supplies will be provided! Some canoes, or kayaks, will be available on a first come, first serve basis. If you have your own boat, we encourage you to bring it! These cleanup events will take place on and around the Ecorse Creek.

September’s Cleanup will happen at 1140 Montie Road, Lincoln Park, MI followed by a celebratory luncheon at Pepper Road Park in Ecorse. Volunteers will receive lunch and refreshments to wrap up the successful cleanup season. Raffle prizes will be drawn and awarded at this event! Registration isn’t required but strongly encouraged.

Embark on an exciting kayaking expedition to Sugar Island!

Calling all experienced paddlers to join us for a thrilling kayaking adventure to Sugar Island , our newly completed habitat restoration project on the lower Detroit River, presented in partnership with Friends of the Detroit River and Downriver Linked Greenways. This event is tailored for those who are adept at kayaking and eager to explore new waters with fellow enthusiasts.

Safety is paramount; all paddlers are required to bring their own kayak, paddle, personal floatation device (life jacket) and whistle/air horn. All sit-in style kayaks must have a bulkhead. Registration is required!

In partnership with the Belle Isle Conservancy and their Keep Belle Isle Beautiful initiative, FDR will be hosting a cleanup on the canals of Belle Isle. Some kayaks will be provided on a first come basis, otherwise participants are encouraged to bring their own. If you prefer to cleanup on land, there will be areas for you to do so!

Volunteers are to check in behind the Belle Isle Aquarium at 9:30 am.

Our partners with the Ecorse Creek Committee will be hosting cleanups all summer long! Join them every second Saturday of the month from July - September 9:00 am to noon at participating locations.

Cleanup supplies will be provided! Some canoes, or kayaks, will be available on a first come, first serve basis. If you have your own boat, we encourage you to bring it! These cleanup events will take place on and around the Ecorse Creek.

August’s Cleanup will be hosted at Pepper Road Park in Ecorse! All participants are entered in to a raffle drawing that will take place at September’s cleanup. Registration isn’t required but strongly encouraged.

For parking and cleanup location details, click here.

The Humbug Film Group and the Friends of the Detroit River are launching an educational lecture series called The Grassroots Effect.

Please join us to be part of a guest audience for the filming of episode one. Audience members must be seated by 5:30 pm, filming begins promptly at 5:35.

Event is free! Registration is required! For more information, view the event flyer here.

In partnership with the Belle Isle Conservancy and their Keep Belle Isle Beautiful initiative, FDR will be hosting a cleanup on the canals of Belle Isle. Some kayaks will be provided on a first come basis, otherwise participants are encouraged to bring their own. If you prefer to cleanup on land, there will be areas for you to do so!

Volunteers are to check in behind the Belle Isle Aquarium at 9:30 am.

Friends of the Detroit River and the City of Lincoln Park will be hosting a cleanup event at VFW Park in Lincoln Park on behalf of the Ecorse Creek Committee. Join us on Saturday, July 13 from 9am to noon. VFW Park is located off of Montie Road just up the road from Willow and Papalas Park.

Map Location: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1vSBQ8ML3DVkR_pNNC7fHKw0D4FfIZfo&ll=42.25541830000003%2C-83.1651968&z=17

Cleanup supplies will be provided! Some canoes, or kayaks, will be available on a first come, first serve basis. If you have your own boat, we encourage you to bring it! These cleanup events will take place on and around the Ecorse Creek.

Join us for a FREE paddle on the beautiful Lake Okonka and Blue Heron Lagoon on Belle Isle to celebrate National Canoe and Kayak Day. Kayaks, paddles, and life jackets will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. You are also welcome to bring your own kayak/canoe.

This event is open to all ages, youth under 18 will need to accompanied by an adult. State Recreation Passport is required to participate! Registration is encouraged but walk ups are welcome.

This event is in partnership with Black to the Land Coalition, Downriver Linked Greenways and Belle Isle Conservancy.

In partnership with the Belle Isle Conservancy and their Keep Belle Isle Beautiful initiative, FDR will be hosting a cleanup on the canals of Belle Isle. Some kayaks will be provided on a first come basis, otherwise participants are encouraged to bring their own. If you prefer to cleanup on land, there will be areas for you to do so!

Volunteers are to check in behind the Belle Isle Aquarium at 9:30 am.

Destination Downriver and Downriver Linked Greenways is thrilled to partner with Under the Radar Michigan to host our 3rd annual Tour de Tom bike ride! Join us for a gorgeous mini tour of western Downriver region. All proceeds go to support Downriver Linked Greenways trails!

Cost is $55/rider. This includes cardio, laughs with Tom and Jim, and cool swag! This year’s route will take you through the scenic Lower Huron and Willow Metroparks. Participants will meet at Doc’s in Downtown New Boston prior to the start time.

Come take a hike and learn more about the trails in the Metro-Detroit area! June 1st, Friends of the Detroit River and Downriver Linked Greenways will be leading a hike through Elizabeth Park, the Iron Belle Trail, and Rotary Park in Trenton, Michigan.

The route is approximately 3 miles in length and will include information on the Downriver Trails systems. Enjoy FREE samples from Elizabeth Perk Coffee & Ice Cream after the hike!

This event is free and open to all ages! No registration is required.

Thanks to our partners Destination Downriver, Elizabeth Perk, Trenton Trail Town and Rotary Park for making this event possible!

In partnership with the Belle Isle Conservancy and their Keep Belle Isle Beautiful initiative, FDR will be hosting a cleanup on the canals of Belle Isle. Some kayaks will be provided on a first come basis, otherwise participants are encouraged to bring their own. If you prefer to cleanup on land, there will be areas for you to do so!

Volunteers are to check in at the Belle Isle Aquarium at 9:30 am.

Friends of the Detroit River, in partnership with Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, present the first Spring Detroit River Water Festival. An amazing water education experience for students outside along the beautiful Detroit River! For more information, visit www.detroitriverwaterfestival.com.

Volunteers are ambassadors for the Water Festival. They play a critical role in guiding each class to their presentation site, assisting with set-up, parking, and other logistics before, during, and after the event. Each volunteer will also receive a boxed lunch, lanyard / name tag, and a Water Festival T-shirt. Free parking is available, carpooling is encouraged. SMART Bus Line 160 drops off just outside the visitors center.

Celebrate Earth Day with us by participating in our annual Spring Cleanup, happening on Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 9AM-noon at Trenton Rotary Park. Trenton Rotary Park is located at the foot of Harrison and Atwood Avenue. All cleanup supplies will be provided! Please dress appropriately for the weather, rain boots are encouraged. Lunch will be provided to volunteers after cleanup.

This will be an on-land and on-water cleanup! If you own a boat and would like to participate in the water cleanup, please contact Bob Burns at rlb315@comcast.net.

This cleanup is in partnership with the Detroit River Coalition and the Great Lakes Cleanup. Thank you to our sponsor EA Engineering for supporting this event! Thank you to Truago for catering the cleanup. Event Flyer Here!

Join us on Saturday, April 6 from 6PM-9PM as we come together to celebrate our Detroit Riverkeeper. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go to support our Riverkeeper Program.

Dinner is catered by Truago. Enjoy live entertainment from Just 2 Guitars, cash bar, raffle prizes and a silent auction. Event Program will include a presentation by Downriver Linked Greenways on Connecting Communities Now and Into the Future.

Thank you to our sponsors ECT and SmithGroup for supporting the Detroit Riverkeeper Program. View event flyer here!

Join us for another year of Shiver on the River Eco Fair on Saturday, February 3, 2024! From 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Friends of the Detroit River will host the event inside the beautiful Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle. There will be free caricature drawings, a magic show, and live ice carving demos! Concessions will be available for a fee. This event is free and open to all ages!

Thanks to our partners at the Detroit Historical Society, the typical daily fee to visit the Dossin Great Lakes Museum will be waived! So come share a wintery celebration of our natural resources. Click here to view event flyer!

LIVE VIRTUAL Classroom with In-Person Tours  

DATES: Five Thursdays: Jan 25-Feb 22 

TIME: 10am – Noon.  Office hours 9-10am. 

TOUR DATES:  Washtenaw Tour: January 25, 1:00-2:30. More tours TBD.   

Design your own rain garden step-by-step during class. Become the neighborhood expert! Protect your home against flooding & help birds, & butterflies with a RAIN garden! We teach you *everything* you need to know to create your own rain garden. That includes lessons learned from more than 1,400 rain gardens built by homeowners just like you! Learn what works and what doesn't. Ask questions in our live class! Visit a rain garden in person! Neighborhood virtual breakout rooms and Facebook (or an alternate forum) for discussion/homework. Earn your certification – including a t-shirt and sign - by building your own rain garden or adopting a public rain garden. 

Register for the Class Here

Co-hosts: Washtenaw County Water Resources, Clinton River Watershed Council, Friends of Detroit River, Friends of the Rouge, Huron-Clinton Metropark, Huron River Watershed Council, Oakland County Water Resources, and the River Raisin Watershed Council

More information: www.MasterRainGardener.org  

Questions about the class? Contact Susan Bryan bryans@washtenaw.org   

Please join us for our annual Holiday Potluck hosted on Thursday, December 14, at 6 pm. All are welcome! We ask that you RSVP by sending an email to river@detroitriver.org.

Come take a hike with us! Join us at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge on November 17, 2023. FDR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff will be guiding hikes on refuge property. For more information on the trail system at the refuge, visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/detroit-river/visit-us/trails.

SMART Bus Line 160 stops outside the visitors center of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. For more information on the bus route, click here. No registration is required to participate!