Plaster Creek Stewards invite community to "Love Thy Downstream Neighbor"

On Saturday, September 22, 2012, the Plaster Creek Stewards will host their fall workshop titled "Love Thy Downstream Neighbor: From Plaster Creek to the St. Lawrence River."

Organizers of the workshop are encouraging anyone who lives, works or cares about the health of the Plaster Creek watershed to participate in the event, which will include both an educational session and the planting of two rain gardens-one in an upstream area, and the other more downstream. Organizers say that this is a wonderful occasion for people of all ages who are looking for opportunities to make a positive influence on the landscapes in which they live.

This year's event is funded by a Fulbright Eco-Leadership Program grant, which provides former Canadian Fulbright scholars with a $4,000 grant to use in their local communities. Former Calvin professor and current Gordon College provost, Janel Curry chose to use her grant to assist the Plaster Creek Stewards in improving the health and beauty of Plaster Creek. Curry and a representative from the Canadian consulate will participate in the event.

"What happens upstream in a watershed affects those downstream," said Gail Heffner, a faculty member and director of community engagement at Calvin College. Plaster Creek empties into the Grand River, which makes its way into Lake Michigan, eventually heading through the Great Lakes and into the St. Lawrence River. Heffner says what happens in West Michigan has an impact in places as far away as Canada.

"The creek connects all different sectors: farmers, businesses, suburban and urban residents, lots of different churches ... we all share a common watershed," said Heffner. "Plaster Creek is an integrator and at this point it is a negative integrator because of all the stormwater and contaminants it carries." Plaster Creek is known as one of the most polluted streams in West Michigan.

Heffner says that the work being done on Saturday is a natural extension of recent initiatives at Calvin College to focus some of its curriculum and research on addressing the health concerns associated with Plaster Creek. Much of Calvin's campus itself resides within the Plaster Creek Watershed.

"We are connecting our teaching and our research agendas as a college to a common, real-world issue [Plaster Creek Watershed]," said Heffner. "It helps students understand that what they're learning and what they are doing really matters." The work being done in Plaster Creek connects multiple disciplines, including faculty and students in history, economics, biology, English and engineering.

The day will begin at 10 a.m. with an educational presentation at the college's Bunker Interpretive Center. From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. participants will head out to Lakeside Elementary School and to Brookside Christian Reformed Church to plant rain gardens, which will help capture run-off, reduce stormwater volume and filter out pollution before the rainwater reaches Plaster Creek.

For more information, contact Gail Heffner at 616-526-6940.

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Received on Wed Sep 19 11:32:51 2012