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Earth Fair Expo
Saturday, April 23
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Montague High School
Remember that first Earth Day in 1970? Promoting the health and sustainability of the air, water and earth we depend on for survival has now become part of our everyday vernacular.
In honor of Earth Day, 2016, White River Watershed Partnership volunteers will be attending the April 23 Earth Fair Expo along with dozens of other organizations to offer activities that educate, inspire and encourage interactions that benefit the Earth, its ecosystems and life forms.
We'll be promoting our work on the White River with interactive displays and information about what we do and how you can help. Stop by our booth to say 'hello' when you visit the expo.
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We Need YOU For Our Spring Stream Sampling!
You’ve got to get wet to monitor the health of a stream and the White River Watershed Partnership hopes a few dozen people are willing to do just that Saturday, May 7 for our annual spring macro invertebrate sampling within the watershed. What and why, you ask? Dr. G. Thomas Tisue (just Tom to us) explains it this way.
"The macroinvertebrate ‘indicator organisms’ volunteers will be collecting, respond in different ways to insults from agriculture run-off, environmental waste and other events. These organisms are a good overall bellwether for what’s happening in the stream, especially when we look at them over time for a number of years. We look at species diversity, the abundance of them, and from that calculate an index of the stream’s health.”
And by extension, the health of the watershed. You needn't be a scientist to volunteer, just willing to learn, get wet, and enjoy a brief adventure in the White River Watershed. Volunteers will gather at Kropscott Farm Environmental Center near Fremont at 9 a.m., pick up equipment and data forms, and head out to a dozen sampling sites with experienced team leaders who will show you the ropes and guide your efforts throughout the day.
After using dip nets to capture the macro invertebrates in their habitats, the group will return to Kropscott to sort, identify and preserve the specimens. All in all, it’s about a four- hour time commitment. If you're interested in participating (and we hope you are), contact:
Kropscott Farm Environmental Center is located at 6523 W. Baseline Rd., approximately five miles north of Fremont, at the corner of Stone Rd. and Baseline. The entrance is off Baseline Road, which is the first crossroad south of M-20 on Stone Rd.
Rain date is May 14.
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Late Winter Phytoplankton
These microscopic phytoplankton came from Duck Lake, but may as well have come from White Lake. Their little homes are made of silica glass and, in a balanced ecosystem, the lacustrine plants comprise the base of the food chain for a wide range of aquatic life, including zooplankton and larval fish.
Invasives!!
 With a face only a mother could love,
oronectus rusticus (rusty crayfish)
has moved far north of its Ohio River
Basin home. The rusty crayfish competes with
native species, and upsets the natural balance
of the White River ecosystem.
This curly leaf pondweed is an  invasive species discovered in White River during last October's river sampling. Native to Eurasia, Africa and Australia, it was introduced in America in the 1880s. The plant forms dense mats which inhibit growth of native species and impedes recreational activities.
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WRWP represented at Michigan Inland Lakes Convention
Tom Tisue, our Technical Committee Chair, will represent WRWP at the 2016 Michigan Inland Lakes Convention in late April. The conference is jointly sponsored by Michigan Lakes and Streams Association and the Michigan Clean Water Corps.
By virtue of WRWPs attendance at the conference, the Partnership and our partner organizations benefit when we have access to funding opportunities and decision makers; receive training in monitoring techniques and organizational strategies, and are able to network and partner with other private and governmental organizations.
WRWP’s consistent attendance at these important conferences, along with its diligent stream monitoring and data generation, has earned it recognition by MiCorps as one of the State's leading volunteer water quality organizations.
Tom will also be representing White Lake Association and Duck Creek Watershed Assembly at the three-day event with is expected to draw upwards of 400 participants.
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We Rely On Donations From People Like You
Our work on behalf of the White River Watershed is made possible in large part by donations from people such as you; those who recognize the importance of protecting our local ecology and safeguarding the health of the watershed for human and aquatic life for generations to come.
The Partnership depends on donations to conduct spring and autumn stream monitoring, assessment of Road Stream Crossings, and educate the public about the impact of the changing climate on the Watershed.
WRWP has no paid staff, relying entirely on volunteer efforts of those committed to maintaining the health of the watershed. Please consider making a contribution. Think of it as a gift to your offspring, a chance to pay it forward. All donations are fully tax-deductible. Log in to access a secure website for either PayPal or credit card donations.
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The WRWP Board of Directors invites you to attend our monthly meetings every fourth Thursday at 6 p.m. in the lower level of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 940 W. Rex St., in Fremont.
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Chair
Ted Stojak
231-893-8945 (h)
231-557-5764 (m)
ted.stojak@gmail.com
Vice-Chair and Grants
Lisa Dutcher
231-861-5579 (h)
231-720-4578 (m)
lisa_dutcher@hotmail.com
Treasurer/
Public Relations
Dave Cordray
231-894-1408
dscordray@aol.com
Secretary
Anne Pawli
231-893-3418 (h)
231-736-5495 (m)
anne.pawli@gmail.com
Technical Coordinator
Thomas Tisue
231-421-4408 (h)
630-670-2237 (m)
thomastisue@comcast.net
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Events Coordinator
Tom Thompson
231-894-4313
Trustee (Middle Watershed)
Raymond Schinler
231-861-4624
raymondschinler@wildblue.net
Trustee (Middle Watershed)
Jim Cordray
231-893-7018
jojimwrc@aol.com
Trustee (Lower Watershed)
Terry Clark
231-893-6805
dadshideout03@yahoo.com
Trustee (Upper Watershed)
Bill Bowen
231-689-1617
vvbowen@hotmail.com
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