Co-developing watershed report cards in Detroit
IAN is partnering with Council Fire, LLC, the Erb Family Foundation, and The Clinton River Watershed Council, Friends of the Detroit River, Huron River Watershed Council, River Raisin Watershed Council, and Friends of the Rouge River, to create socio-environmental report cards for these 5 rivers, and a report card that integrates the results into an assessment of the Detroit Michigan region. This ambitious project is a collaboration with local stakeholders to develop a shared understanding and vision for each watershed, indicators that can reflect on the social, cultural, economic, and environmental values within that vision, and analysis of data to assess progress toward achieving it.
The Start of Socio-Environmental Report Cards for Southeast Michigan
Three virtual workshop sessions for the development of socio-environmental report cards for the Detroit, Clinton, Huron, Rouge, and Raisin rivers in Michigan occurred November 2021. The main goal of the workshop was for stakeholders to identify indicators that reflect the social, cultural, economic, and environmental values of the Southeast Michigan region. IAN is partnering with Council Fire, LLC, the Erb Family Foundation, The Clinton River Watershed Council, Friends of the Detroit River, Huron River Watershed Council, River Raisin Watershed Council, and Friends of the Rouge, to create socio-environmental report cards for five rivers, and a report card that integrates the results into an assessment of the Southeast Michigan region.
Regional Stormwater Summit, Southeast Michigan
On October 20th, Conor Keitzer provided an update on the Southeast Michigan Report Card Project at the Regional Stormwater Summit in Detroit, MI. The Regional Stormwater Summit is organized by the Oakland County Water Resource Commission, Lawrence Technological University, and Pure Oakland Water. The summit was attended by over 200 people from government, industry, and community organizations interested in solving stormwater issues across the region. Southeast Michigan faces substantial challenges around stormwater, but it was exciting to learn about efforts from groups working to tackle this important issue.
Coming soon: Southeast Michigan Report Cards
Mark your calendars for April 16th as we eagerly anticipate the debut of our Southeast Michigan Report Card series. This initiative encompasses six informative documents, each dedicated to assessing the socio-environmental health of key rivers in the region: the Clinton, Detroit, Huron, River Raisin, and Rouge Rivers, alongside a comprehensive summary of the Southeast Michigan region. The development of these report cards was a result of significant collaborative efforts with local stakeholders, and will provide important insights into river health while fostering community engagement and informed decision-making for the region. Please RSVP here to attend virtually or in person.
Southeast Michigan Report Cards Released!
On April 16, IAN staff joined five watershed organizations in Detroit, Michigan for the release of the Southeast Michigan Report Cards. This project encompasses five watersheds in Southeast Michigan--the Clinton, Detroit, Huron, Raisin, and Rouge--and a summary document for the entire region. Over the last three years, IAN staff have worked closely with local Michigan scientists and managers to develop a suite of socioeconomic and ecological indicators. The relationship between people and the environment is strong; for example, human industry impacts water quality, and water quality impacts human health. By examining more than environmental factors, our socioenvironmental report cards capture a holistic view of the ecosystem and the people that rely on it. A huge thanks to our partners on this project!