Ecological Stewardship

Ecological stewardship deals with the relationship of humans to the land and all the animals and plants that grow upon it. Our ecological restoration projects empower others to:

  • Understand human impact on Earth’s life support systems

  • Learn new behaviors

  • Reconnect to their local place and watershed

  • Promote the recovery of endangered species such as wild rice

  • Control and eradicate non-native organisms harmful to native species and the environment

  • Restore and safeguard vital ecosystems in their community such as native prairies

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny.” ~ Preamble to the Earth Charter

  • The Stewardship Network established the Western Lake Erie Collaborative Conservation Community (WLECCC) in 2013 under the guidance of the River Raisin Institute. Our region is home to unique terrestrial habitats and Lake Erie, which is the most biologically diverse among the Great Lakes. Our goal is to create a robust network of groups dedicated to preserving and rehabilitating these exceptional areas and raising awareness of their significance to the community. We operate in Monroe, Lenawee, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

    Volunteer opportunities include participation in beach cleanups and removal of invasive species. Additionally, we organize community presentations, such as the Wildlife Series presentations.

  • Excessive levels of E. coli, phosphorus, and sediment have caused impaired water quality in the S.S. Lapointe Drain and Luna Pier, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The S.S. Lapointe Drain is one of many "orphan" watersheds in Monroe County that flows directly into western Lake Erie and contributes to the phosphorus and algae problems that afflict the western Lake Erie basin. The watershed covers approximately 18.5 square miles and encompasses Sulphur and Muddy Creeks. Luna Pier Beach is included in the S.S. Lapointe Drain watershed and was placed on the Section 303(d) list due to impaired recreational use.

    To address these water quality issues, a group of stakeholders created a watershed management plan using funding from an MDEQ non-point source grant. The plan includes implementation activities to improve water quality, and it was approved by the MDEQ and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on September 27, 2017. In 2019, Michigan Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) granted funds to educate watershed residents on water resource care and assist farmers with implementing best management practices to improve water quality in the S.S. Lapointe Drain watershed.