Read the latest edition of our bi-weekly roundup of headlines that have caught our eye. This edition chronicles several local successes for the river, the watershed and the communities of the Huron River plus a glimpse of how the nation is responding to water issues on the ballot and in the classroom.
Scio Township Purchases Property for Nature Preserve
A new 34 acre parcel along Mill Creek in Scio Township has been designated a nature preserve. The parcel has woods, wetlands, and Mill Creek, which joins the Huron River just a bit downstream in the Village of Dexter. The natural features and the protected land will clean and retain rain water benefiting Mill Creek. Kris Olsson, HRWC watershed ecologist assisted in the protection process. The park will have public access.
A Local Response to Climate Change
The City of Ypsilanti is one of three Southeast Michigan municipalities taking advantage of a grant from the Michigan Suburbs Alliance to develop a Climate Action Plan. The plan was adopted by the city council and a few actions identified in the plan are already underway. Climate Action Plans identify ways that communities can decrease their carbon footprint and therefore their contribution to global climate change. Typical actions often also have other economic, environmental and quality of life benefits.
2012 Election Results: U.S. Voters Favor Water
This article gives a look at how American’s voted on water-related issues throughout the nation during the recent election.
Getting Kids to Wise Up About Water Conservation
A community in Texas is using WaterWise kits and experiential learning to help teach students about water conservation. These kits come with some simple water efficiency technologies such as low flow showerheads and leak detection tools. HRWC shares these same kits with community members throughout the watershed, at festivals and similar events. Water conservation has benefits for the river, our groundwater, our pocketbooks, and it saves energy!
And last but not least, a nod to a couple of our watershed communities that have recently received acknowledgement for making gains in green development: