Restore Rouge Park Prairie & Oak Opening: Invasive Bouquet Brigade

Help revive a rare oak savannah & prairie ecosystem. Restore habitat for wildflowers and pollinators, then enjoy a guided prairie hike.
About this Event

Step into one of Michigan's rarest landscapes and help restore a piece of southeast Michigan's natural heritage.

Oak savannas and oak openings once covered much of the Detroit region, creating sunny woodlands filled with native grasses, wildflowers, butterflies, and birds. Today, these remarkable ecosystems are among the rarest habitat types in the Midwest.

During this stewardship day, we'll work together to remove invasive plants that crowd out native species and shade the prairie, helping restore the open conditions that oaks, wildflowers, and pollinators depend on.

We will be removing invasive species by the root! Smaller plants will be hand removed, medium plants mechanically, and larger chopped down!
We will remove certain seeds, and make piles of the chopped down invasive species that will act as habitat wildlife.

After our restoration efforts, we'll celebrate with a guided hike through the prairie to explore the plants, insects, and wildlife that call this habitat home. Along the way, we'll discuss the history of oak savannas, the role of fire in shaping these ecosystems, and how today's stewardship helps ensure they'll continue to thrive for generations to come.
You may collect invasive flowers as we work to make yourself an invasive bouquet!

No experience is necessary—

• You'll learn how to identify native and especially invasive species; especially Honey Suckle, Buckthorn, Multiflora Rose, Canada Thistle, Purple Loose strife, Porcelain Berry, (videos to prep if you're interested) and Poison Ivy (native plant important to learn/avoid for allergy sake).
• We provide: gloves, 5 gallon water for refilling bottles, a few mosquito jackets, & eye protection. WE PROVIDE: gloves, eye protection, mosquito jackets, 5 gallon water for refilling water bottles, and tools (loppers, handsaws, shovels, pickmattocks and pull-bears)
• You should come prepared to work! We recommend you wear pants and long sleeves regardless of temps to protect yourselves from poison ivy, MOSQUITOS (storm)ticks, and thorny shrubs/trees. Work boots or sturdy footwear is also highly recommended. Also, please bring your own water bottle.

Come lend a hand, learn something new, and be part of bringing this extraordinary landscape back to life.