10 Years of Watershed Restoration Efforts

Plaster Creek Stewards is celebrating 10 years of restoring health and beauty in the watershed with several activities planned for 2019.

This year, Plaster Creek Stewards will celebrate its 10-year anniversary with an environmental events series hosted by Calvin College. The series will include educational events to create awareness of Plaster Creek’s ongoing projects, as well as an opportunity to celebrate the organization’s work over the past 10 years.

To kick off the year, we are designing a 10-Year t-shirt and inviting anyone to participate in helping to dream it up! Click here for more information. 

Plaster Creek Stewards combines education and action every semester with an event to generate awareness in the community about the Plaster Creek watershed. The April 13 Spring Event will feature former Program Coordinator, Nate Haan, as the keynote speaker, and the event will be in conjunction with the Center Art Gallery’s exhibition.

Other slated events include a bus tour of the Plaster Creek watershed with the Green Team; hiking tours of parks in the watershed; a summer gathering at the newly-built greenhouse; and another education-action event in the fall possibly featuring poetry and photography.  Stay posted for more information here and on our Facebook page.

“When we began the Plaster Creek Stewards initiative ten years ago, we had no idea how deeply the work would unfold---13 grants, numerous community partners, and the involvement of so many people who live, work, go to church or school, within the Plaster Creek watershed,” reflected Plaster Creek Stewards program director Dr. Gail Gunst Heffner. “There’s no way we could have accomplished what we have without the hard work and commitment of so many others who have worked alongside us. We’re so grateful.”

The work of Plaster Creek Stewards is concentrated in three key areas: education, research and on-the-ground restoration of the Plaster Creek watershed. The watershed encompasses about 58 square miles, including part of Calvin’s campus. Calvin’s involvement with the restoration effort began in 2004 when a group of Calvin College faculty and staff began to research the watershed and explore ways that Calvin could make a difference, forming the Plaster Creek Working Group. Now, over a decade later, Plaster Creek Stewards is still pursuing its mission: to educate the community about watershed ecology, and to develop a growing group of people who understand the strengths, needs, and problems affecting the Plaster Creek Watershed. Everyone can do something to make a difference for their downstream neighbor.