Paddle to Protect the Best of the Huron River!
The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) announced today that it has received a $10, 000 grant from REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), a national outdoor retail co-op committed to connecting people with nature, to support its new River Scouts program.
The River Scouts program will focus on the section of the Huron that runs from the Kent Lake Dam in Kensington Metropark downstream to the Barton Pond in Ann Arbor and includes portions of Davis, Arms, and Mill Creeks. In 1977 this portion of the Huron River was designated a “scenic river” under the State of Michigan’s Natural Rivers Program. REI funds will be used to develop a corps of volunteer paddlers who, starting in May of this year, will monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the Natural Rivers Program and identify opportunities for clean-ups, restoration, and protection. HRWC will also sponsor an annual clean-up of this section of the river.
“Thanks to REI, we have a terrific opportunity to strengthen our commitment to the “scenic river” stretch of the Huron, to promote both a broader awareness of it and the diversity of recreational opportunities it offers to watershed residents,” said Laura Rubin, HRWC Executive Director.
REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. The grant is the result of a nomination made by the Ann Arbor store.
To learn more about the river scouts program and to sign up, click here.
