For the past two years, Michigan Sea Grant has been working with the city of Ecorse and its neighbors to develop a plan for clean-up and revitalization of the Ecorse Creek. The cities of Ecorse, Wyandotte, and Lincoln Park were recently awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to help finance the venture. Michigan Sea Grant is a cooperative program of the University of Michigan (UM), Michigan State University (MSU) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Sea Grant educator Mary Bohling introduced a survey designed to gain understanding of people's perception of the Ecorse Creek and their desire to support or participate in clean-up efforts. The survey was disseminated to residents by the cities.

Bohling, who holds a master's degree in Environmental Science, is also co-chair of the organization Downriver Linked Greenways and sits on the board for the Friends of the Detroit River. Her passion for the health of local waterways is evident, and she adds, "It's not just the Detroit River, but all the tributaries like the Ecorse Creek, the Rouge River, the Huron River; we're doing our best to get all those areas cleaned up and respected and stewarded not by just those organizations, but by getting the public involved too, and that's how the survey came into existence."

If you received Michigan Sea Grant's Ecorse Creek Restoration Project Survey in your email inbox, Bohling says it is important that community members respond. Survey data will be analyzed at various points to ensure proposed projects along the Ecorse Creek are both important to and impactful on the lives of those living near the waterway and those who would like to see more recreational opportunities on local waterways. In addition, the NFWF grant requires Sea Grant to show how they are engaging with the public. Initial projects include revamping the creek shoreline near Pepper Park and installation of a paddling launch for kayak and canoe use.

A lifelong downriver resident herself, Bohling says, "Really, it's changing people's perspective about the creek, elevating the visibility of the creek and looking at it as a great natural asset for the community." She adds that Michigan Sea Grant works with communities with limited resources to find additional means of funding waterway improvements and environmental revitalization projects such as grants and awards.

If you did not receive the survey but would like to participate, follow this link:

https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ekW00PgohTay341

The survey should take five minutes and Bohling suggest if more than one member of a household wants to participate, they ought to use separate devices as clicking on the link subsequent times will return to the previous device user's survey answers. The survey will be available through August 31, 2022 and is open to anyone, not just residents of Ecorse, Wyandotte and Lincoln Park.

Bohling is hoping for enthusiastic community input. "A lot of us that have been engaged in this work for a long time see how the water bodies are disrespected, they're seen as dumping grounds for trash and things like that," she says. "We're really trying to change that perspective so that each person understands that they have a role in keeping our waterways clean."

For further information on the Ecorse Creek Restoration Project and other similar projects, contact Mary Bohling at [email protected] or reach her by phone at 313-410-9431.