Join us in the park on the dates below to help restore Rouge Park’s forests, learn some plant ecology in action, and enjoy the crisp fall air while you’re at it!
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Measuring Empire What are the ways you measure time and the changing of seasons? Perhaps schools starting, the changing leaf color, corn harvests or Halloween. Markers aside, we measure time with the “Gregorian” calendar. While this way of measuring time is unremarkable to us, the story of expanding this calendar, and other standards of measurement, around the world is fascinatingly the story of empire. The Gregorian calendar was introduced by the Catholic Church under Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 after the Spanish reconquered the Iberian peninsula and began expanding into the Americas.. The British empire only adopted the more accurate calendar in 1752 when the British and French began edging out Spain. Russia only adopted it formally in 1917. Today it’s the most widely used calendar in the world for business, civil affairs and trade. Yet, to this day, billions around the world use alternative calendars for traditional seasonal activities and religious events. The indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes, the Anishinaabe, measured the year based on the moon cycles, contrary to our solar calendar. They refer to each moon cycle based on the environmental, social and ecological activity of that moon.
Photo 1: The year in world calendars via The World in Maps, Photo 2: Anishinaabe Calendar by 14 First Nations of NW Ontario The last moon cycle was the Manoomin (Wild rice) Moon. In Anishinaabe creation stories, the creator instructed them, “to move west until they find the food that grows on water.”Manoomin is that sacred grain for Anishinaabe peoples. The state of Michigan actually just made manoomin the state grain in 2023. If you attended the Buffalo Soldiers and Blues Festival you may have observed me with a tarp-full of fresh wild rice! I had spent the previous few weeks harvesting up north. This ancient grain grows in clean, shallow, slow moving wetland ecosystems like in Tawas Lake. Historically, a profusion of wild rice could be found in growing coastal wetlands. A pristine example is the largest remaining coastal wild rice bed in the world, the Bad River reservation in northern Wisconsin. This is why the Bad River Reservation has been fighting mining and pipelines in their watershed, check out the documentary “Bad River.”  Photo 3: Wild Rice at the Buffalo Soldiers Fest, Photo 4: Antonio Harvesting Wild Rice in northern Michigan Photo 5: Bad River Wetlands and watershed z_Mining_Penokee_ExploratoryDrillSite_Map_2011.jpg Wild rice is rare in Michigan because of wetland loss and environmental pollution, recurring themes in my articles. Wetlands are cornerstone ecosystems that prevent flooding, restore ground water levels, clean water, and provide essential habitat for wildlife. Wetlands loss in Wayne County exceeds 90%. It follows, our hyper-urbanized, drained and polluted watershed cannot sustain wild rice, the ecological context is almost the opposite of Bad River.  Photo 6: Wild Rice, Photo 7: DEQ Wetlands Loss Rouge River is polluted by many sources; winter road salt; oil and grease drainage from streets; pesticides and fertilizers from lawns/golf courses; bacteria from pets and wildlife; heavy metals & PFAS from industry. One major ongoing source of pollution are the Combined Sewer Overflows(CSO’s) that continue to contaminate the river with human waste during large rain events. While much of the problem has been abated, the remaining CSO’s are very expensive to repair.. That unfortunately falls on working-class Wayne County residents. This is why we have received hardship exemptions from the federal government as our CSO’s violate Clean Water Act protections for bodies of water like the Rouge River. Federal government investments in local water infrastructure peaked in the 1970s around the passage of the Clean Water Act. We shouldn't expect much support from the Trump administration on this issue. Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DSWD) customers are not alone with our aging water infrastructure. Failing infrastructure is a national issue. The American Society of Civil Engineers graded America water related infrastructure poorly; drinking water receiving a C-, wastewater a D+, and stormwater a D. If the influence of an empire is “measured” through standardizing measurement around the world, what does the quality of water and sewage infrastructure say about a civilization? Combined Sewer Overflow’s are a big problem for the Rouge River. While there are many sources of pollution within our watershed; the road salt for winter safety; oil and grease from street drainage; pesticides and fertilizers from lawns/golf courses; bacteria from pets and wildlife; heavy metals &PFAS from industry. One major ongoing source of pollution are the Combined Sewer Overflows(CSO’s) that continue to contaminate the river with human waste during large rain events. The remaining CSO’s are very expensive to repair, particularly for the working class wayne county residents and Detroit Water and Sewage customers who will likely pay for these updates. This is why we have received hardship exemptions from the federal government as our CSO’s violate Clean Water Act protections for bodies of water like the Rouge River.
Photo 8: CSO Diagram by getty, Photo 9: Figure 2‐6: Combined Sewer Drainage Areas via Alliance of Rouge Communities Photo 10: Billions of dollars invested in water infrastructure National: Local by the CBO While many in SE Michigan might not be able to participate in the Maanomin-Moon, our park features natural and man-made solutions for the shortcomings of our current water and sewage paradigm.
Rouge Park houses some of the last remaining bits of wetlands, forested-flood plain, and the largest prairie in the county and watershed. Our prairies and forests naturally store and sink upwards of 10’s of million gallons of water each year. Our Park also features the DSWD Far West Detroit Stormwater Improvement Project, construction you have surely noticed on the south western side of the park over the past few years. This project will reduce chronic basement flooding experienced by approximately 1,200 homes and will keep nearly 100 million gallons of stormwater out of the combined sewer system annually. You can be part of the solution too. A single individual can make a slight difference in the watershed problems:
But unfortunately there are no individual solutions to collective problems of this scale.. you gotta join a community or organization to work on these issues! Come volunteer with us at Friends of Rogue Park (FORP) to help maintain these forests and prairies. Removing invasive shrubs helps these ecosystems hold water in the long term as native plants tend to have much deeper roots. The Alliance of Rouge River Communities (ARC) to encourage watershed-wide cooperation and support to restore beneficial uses of the Rouge River, they create the tools, funding, and projects that residents, schools, and local organizations can plug into through local governments and other organizations. Many of you are probably engaged with Friends of the Rouge (the watershed or, FOR). They’re an excellent partner to follow in this effort to revive the Rouge River… FOR has been helping support residents in the creation of more than 100 rain gardens all over the watershed. Also, be on the look out for forthcoming Coalition for a Clean Rouge, an effort between multiple organizations in the watershed to advocate for alleviating our river of her CSO problems. And who knows, maybe we’ll bring some wild rice activities to the park in the future!  Lots of youth, Weekly Workdays are Done. This summer we’ve had 3 different youth teams working in Rouge Park: Youth Work is a Civilian Conservation Corps crew from Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. They worked primarily on the Scout Hollow Trail, opening up a view of the wetlands across the street from Brennan Pools, helping clean up a job we started with the ACCESS volunteers back in May. The crew is composed 4-5 younger Detroiters, and it is the program’s second year working in Rouge Park. Another crew that worked in the park were from the nonprofit, Green Door Initiative. GDI sent anywhere from 8-12 youth with crew leaders, completing more than eight workdays in the park. Their work centered on restoring a new section on the eastern side of the Ma'iingan Wildwood Trail connecting back to the Sorenson Rec reation Area. We made significant progress with their help!  We’ve been training up a team of Lead Stewards to help support volunteers who come to work in our park. Thus far we have had 5 trainees, with another 5-7 new trainees joining the Lead Steward Training Program this August. They will represent Friends of Rouge Park to guests who come to volunteer in the park. These leaders shined when 80 youth from Greening of Detroit or the 150 from Americorps members came to work in the park. Their leadership has been vital. We recruited these stewards from consistent volunteers, so If you’re interested in being a lead steward; come hang out with us and put in some work. The summer was a sprint, and as the weather cools, our field work will shift. We will no longer be offering weekly public workdays on Fridays! But we are beginning our weekday volunteer days for those who can come on weekday mornings! The following are this September’s workday opportunities: Sept 10, 9am-12pm Corporate workday @ Tireman Ave & Spinoza Dr. Sept 17, 5-9pm Sunset workday followed by Night Moth activity @ North Prairie Pathway/Butterfly Garden Sept 25, 9-12pm Corporate Workday @ Tireman Ave & Spinoza Dr. Sept 26, 5-7:30pm Sugarbush Buckthorn Bonfire @ Outer Drive, South of Tireman Ave. Ecological Report: Goldenrods heals, prairies overrun by invasives need fire In these final days of summer, which officially ends on the autumnal equinox, Sept 22, the prairie is fully blooming with goldenrod. So far I have only observed five species of goldenrod; gray goldenrod (solidago nemoralis), grass-leaf goldenrod (euthamia graminifolia), stiff goldenrod (solidago rigida), late goldenrod (solidago altissima), and Canada goldenrod(solidago canadensis). I hope to see a few more now that they’re all starting to bloom. Goldenrod is a pioneering species, whose seeds spread through wind dispersal, making it excellent for soil stabilization. It’s also a vital late-season food source for pollinators like bees and butterflies, and beyond that, a food source for other animals, including birds (in winter) and small mammals (like deer & rabbit). As for its medicinal benefits, goldenrod contains anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and diuretic properties, which make it effective for respiratory congestion, seasonal allergies, and wound healing. It can also be used for skin irritations, to reduce swelling and pain, and support urinary tract health.  The invasive porcelain berries (Ampelopsis glandulosa) are now starting to show their purple and blue brilliance. Native to south east Asia, the plant was brought over for its ornamental value. Its berries are edible, yet unpalatable with flavor described as “bland, slimy, or mealy with a prickly aftertaste.” However birds will eat it when other foods get low. They are the primary means of spreading this invasive. We have yet to figure out how to manage these fellas but they are dominating the prairie. Their leaves are a lot like grape leaves but deeply lobed, separated into 3-5 sections. Look out for them if you are strolling through the beautiful goldenrods in our prairie. They cover most everything. 
July & August are peak months for exploring Rouge Park’s restored prairie. Insects hum, birds forage, and wildflowers burst into bloom. On July 25, the season’s first goldenrod caught my eye, a sure sign we’re entering prairie high summer and that fall is right around the corner! Here are just a few of the standout species lighting up the landscape right now:
The prairie is not just a place of beauty—it’s a living library of botanical relationships, ecological strategies, and pollinator paradise. Come walk it while it’s loud with bloom and buzzing with life.
My biggest issue working in the field this month? Mosquito season. It’s in full swing—hot, wet, and buzzing. In Michigan, mosquito season typically runs from May to October, with peak activity from June through August. They thrive in warm, humid conditions, especially once temps stay above 60°F, and are most active in shady areas—often the same places overrun by invasive shrubs.
Mosquitoes played a major role in shaping Michigan’s history. They hindered early colonial settlement in Detroit and surrounding areas due to mosquito-borne illnesses, especially malaria. The Great Black Swamp in northeast Ohio prevented many from settling Waawiyaatanong (“curved shores”) aka Detroit. Researchers estimate malaria caused 50–75% of illnesses in Michigan prior to 1880. In response, colonizers aggressively drained wetlands—actions that now contribute to flooding, biodiversity loss, and declining water quality by disrupting nutrient sinks and groundwater recharge. This year, a student visiting the park asked if we could just kill all the mosquitoes. The answer? Technically yes—but should we? Mosquitoes serve critical ecological roles. As aquatic larvae, they feed fish, dragonfly nymphs, and other insects. As adults, they become food for birds, bats, frogs, lizards, and more. They also help transfer nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems, linking different parts of the food web. We’re already deep in the “Great Insect Die-Off.” Some studies report up to a 75% drop in insect populations over recent decades. Many mosquito-control methods are nonspecific and risk harming pollinators and other vital insects. So yes—leave the mosquitos alone… and get better skin protection; we’re covered in bug jackets and masks while removing invasive and building trails this summer. One invasive we’re focused on eliminating is multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), brought from Asia in the 1800s. It’s a dense, arching shrub that spreads aggressively by seed and suckers. Look for clusters of small white flowers (20+ per bunch) and leaves with 9+ leaflets and fringed stipules at the base. In contrast, native roses—like Rosa blanda, R. carolina, R. palustris, and R. setigera—are smaller, more open, and non-aggressive. They have pink flowers (usually solitary or in small groups), bloom mid-summer, and have 5–7 leaflets without fringed stipules. Lately, I’ve spotted plenty blooming around town: birdsfoot trefoil (invasive), chicory, fleabane, St. John’s wort, catalpa trees, knapweed (invasive), peonies, lilies, and lavender. And the prairie? It’s coming alive. I highly recommend hiking every few weeks to catch what’s blooming: common motherwort, Deptford pink, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, lance-leaf tickseed, bee balm, narrowleaf mountain mint, sulphur cinquefoil (invasive), yarrow, wild bergamot, verbena, ox-eye daisy (invasive), and butterfly weed. The lupines should pop soon. Spring Ephemerals and Forest Ecology Rouge Park has just wrapped up its spectacular spring ephemeral flower season, though a few late blooms still dot the forest floor. The term ephemeral comes from the Greek word ephemeros, meaning “lasting only one day.” In modern English, it refers to anything short-lived like these special spring wildflowers. From sprouting to flowering, pollination, and senescence (think of the changes plants go through in fall), most of these flowers complete their life cycle within a few weeks, all before the tree canopy fully leaves out. Some species, like Virginia waterleaf, are just now blooming, while a few, such as violets, linger through the summer. Interestingly, 30–40% of spring ephemerals disperse their seeds through a process called myrmecochory, where ants play a key role in seed distribution. These plants produce seeds with fatty appendages called elaiosomes (pronounced el-eye-o-zome), which ants collect and carry underground. The ants consume the fatty part, and the seed is left safely buried, protected from predators like slugs and mice. This symbiotic or mutually beneficial relationship helps ensure the next generation of wildflowers thrive.  While the spring flowers fade, the forest canopy has now filled in. Like farmers, trees also wait for the danger of late frost to pass before leafing out. In Southeast Michigan, the last frost date typically falls in early to mid-May, although climate change has made this timing more unpredictable. That’s why trees like oaks, ashes, black walnuts, hickories, and black locusts are among the last to leaf out. These first and last frost dates are so important for farm planning that the USDA has developed a number system called the hardiness zones to help farmers and horticulturalists plan. These zones have shifted in recent years. Meanwhile, the seeds of early bloomers, such as maples, have already spun to the ground in the form of winged samaras (yes, the “helicopters,” they’re even edible!). Invasive honeysuckles have nearly finished blooming too. Truly, many a May flower has come and gone!  A Tale of Two Forests Much of Rouge Park’s southern section (south of Tireman Avenue) remains a hidden gem within Detroit. This area includes our sugarbush, the future site of the restored Ma'iingan Wildwood Trail, and our vernal pond monitoring area, where we host spring ephemeral wildflower walks. Many parts of this region lie in a natural floodplain that has never been clear-cut, resulting in a forest rich in native plant diversity and old-growth characteristics. In contrast, the forests around the mountain bike trail were historically cleared for agriculture and grazing. These disturbed areas now host dense stands of invasive species like honeysuckle and buckthorn. To the untrained eye, it might seem lush and full of life. But in healthy, mature forests, the canopy is so dense that the forest floor stays relatively open, with few invasive plants and more diverse native understory species.
Think of an ancient prairie turned farm field, years of tilling disrupt plant diversity but remnants might survive along the edges where machinery didn’t reach. That’s often the case for Rouge Park’s prairie areas. When restoration is attempted using retail seed stock, only a narrow range of species returns. This is why forest forensics, the study of clues in the landscape, can help us understand historical land use and guide restoration efforts. (Look out for our Forest Forensics Hike this fall!). Vernal Ponds: Hidden Wetland Wonders One of the most exciting ways to assess forest health is through community science, such as vernal pond monitoring. Vernal ponds are temporary spring wetlands that support a burst of life, particularly for amphibians and invertebrates because they are isolated from streams and lack fish predators.  This spring, students from Cody High School and Black to the Land’s Urban Forest School joined us in surveying the flora and fauna of our vernal ponds. We observed garter snakes, salamanders, toads, and a wide variety of plant species including: Boxelder maple, carex sedges, American ginseng, meadow rue, Virginia creeper, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, Dutchman’s breeches, bellworts and invasive species like garlic mustard and honeysuckle. We also documented macroinvertebrates such as scuds, daphnia, rat-tailed maggots, water scavenger beetles, water tigers, and midge and mosquito larvae.  This monitoring effort feeds into the Vernal Ponds Partnership, part of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, and helps us understand how these sensitive ecosystems are responding to climate change and human impact. We also made a strong push this season to remove invasive plants from the vernal pond area. With this year’s data as a benchmark, we’ll be able to track the success of our conservation work over time.
Smokey the bear got it wrong with, “only you can prevent forest fires!” While he is right about campfires and accidental burns, we shouldn't prevent all fire, we should encourage controlled fires because the land evolved with fire for hundreds of thousands of years.. our role as humans is to burn the land. Our society is just now rediscovering the fire as a tool to maintain and restore natural landscapes with prescribed or controlled burns. These intentional, carefully managed fires mimic wildfire cycles that many ecosystems depended on prior to colonization. Indigenous peoples have long used fire as a form of land stewardship— promoting biodiversity, encouraging hunting or berry production, preventing larger wildfires, and supporting the health of prairies and forests. Today, as we care for the remnant and often fragmented natural areas, prescribed burns offer a way to reconnect with that ancient knowledge right here in Rouge Park.  A quick aside; the interruption of fire as a consistent presence in ecosystems has resulted in the “mesophication” (or making moist/wet) of forests and savannah ecosystems, resulting in the proliferation of fire-intolerant, shade-tolerant tree species (mesophytes like Red maple, sugar maple, beech, and tulip poplar) and the decline of fire-adapted, sun-loving species (xerophytes like oak, pine and hickory). Simultaneously, the development of every last wetland, forest, and prairie makes even these mesic ecosystems rare in certain contexts, like lake plain prairies specific to the seasonally wet ground of glacial lake plains in the southern Great Lakes region.  In spring of 2022, I witnessed my first prescribed burn. This effort was made possible through a partnership between the Huron-Clinton Metroparks and the City of Detroit. 15 acres of prairie were burned under the supervision of Restoring Nature with Fire LLC. The burn helped reduce invasive species, recycle nutrients into the soil, and promote the growth of native plants in our wildflower prairie. The city of Detroit depends on the Metroparks for this activity. Our Rouge Park Prairies and forests are overdue for more fire!
Most recently, on May 9, 2024, another prescribed burn was conducted within Rouge Park as part of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s stormwater infrastructure project (that giant whole they’ve been digging the last 2 years) near Warren and Joy along Parkland Street. The storm water retention basins have been planted with prairie species and fire is part of the management plan for establishing those areas. These incomplete stormwater infrastructure projects deserve an article themselves as DSWD will be connected them to the neighborhoods west of Rouge Park before they're fully online. While I am very grateful for our partnerships with the Metroparks and DSWD for bringing fire back to Rouge Park. I hope that the city can build the capacity to employ this natural areas management tool on its own, more expansively throughout the park, and on a more consistent basis. While there has been burning in the prairie, some of Rouge park’s forested lands would also benefit enormously from fire. As the city and local parks organizations familiarize the citizens of this ancient practice and park stewards grow in the sophistication of their management, a stronger city-wide Natural Areas Management Program could really benefit these few precious ecosystems by employing restoration by fire. Through investing in the health of our urban ecosystems, Detroit can cultivate more vibrant, resilient, and deeply rooted green spaces for all. Fire has always been a part of this land’s story—let’s ensure it has a place in Detroit’s future, too. |
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