Education
We strive 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. We seek to equip people to take action to restore their watershed. Ways we do this include:
- Presentations on watersheds, history and issues in the Plaster Creek Watershed, and things people can do to improve water quality in Plaster Creek
- Seasonal events, which include a presentation on Plaster Creek and opportunities to participate in on-the-ground restoration work
- School partnerships that include education in the classroom and hands-on-restoration work in the greenhouse, schoolyard, or nearby location
- Newsletters twice a year that update followers present new information as it is learned
- Resources for more learning about this and other watersheds
Teach FASTly: Faith and Science Activities for your classroom made by teachers for teachers
Watershed Ecology Map Activity
Growing Native Plants in the Classroom
Reconciliation Ecology: A New Paradigm for Advancing Creation Care
Reconciliation Ecology: A Christian Pedagogy of Place
Potomac Highlands Watershed School: online activities for watershed learning
Find My Watershed map tool
Datawise Evaluation of Plaster Creek Stewards
Creek-Friendly Practices for HOAs
Curb Cut Rain Garden Maintenance Booklet
Parkway Pocket Maintenance Booklet
2022
Evaluating Which Native Species Are Best to Include in Green Infrastructure Projects
Ken-O-Sha: Working for Reconciliation in a West Michigan Watershed
2021
Trees to Heal the Plaster Creek Watershed
2019
Dwelling: Our Watershed in Image and Word
The Buzz About Watershed Restoration: Helping Streams Helping Insects
2018
Fixing the Banks: Future Investment with Native Plant Currency
Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Ecosystems of the Great Lakes Region
A Majority of Adults in Michigan’s 3 rd District Support Action to Limit Climate Change
How Will Climate Change Affect Michigan's 3rd District?
2017
Returning Home: Reconciling Human Impacts Using Native Plants
Displaced Dirt: Keeping Sediment out of Streams
2016
Connecting Urban Neighborhoods with Their Creeks
Inspiration from History: The Remembered Past of Plaster Creek
Creek Friendly Yards: Intentional Landscaping in the Plaster Creek Watershed
2015
Alger Heights versus "The Flash"
Alger Heights Neighborhood Rain Garden Project
Fighting for the Watershed in the Absence of an Enemy: Shifting our Thinking of Rain
2014
A Healthy Watershed: Magnet for Birds and Butterflies
2013
Hidden Waters: The Secret Life of Silver Creek
Rainscaping to Reduce Our Stormwater Footprint
Wildflowers in the Watershed: The Good, the Bad, and the Weedy
2012
Loving our Downstream Neighbor: From Plaster Creek to the St. Lawrence River
Deep Roots: The Importance of Trees for a Healthy Watershed
2011
When It Rains... It Pours: Where Rain Goes
The Unfolding of Plaster Creek Stewards
2010
Watershed Awakening: Connecting College and Community to a Shared Place
Other topics of interest
Plaster Creek: Profile of a Human-dominated Watershed
Introduction to Plaster Creek Watershed Restoration Initiative
Loving Our Downstream Neighbor
Environmental Justice and Plaster Creek
Reconciliation Ecology: A new and helpful paradigm in the evolving lexicon of creation care
Groundswell Teacher Professional Development Days
Learning in Place:Education, Research, and Action in the Plaster Creek Watershed
Rainscaping for Watershed Restoration
Periodically we update our community on topics in and around our work in the watershed. This page is an archive of past e-newsletters. Get your copy hot off the internet (save the trees) by signing up for our mailing list.
Programs
Green Team
The PCS Green Team is a three-week paid summer position for high school students who live, learn, or worship in the Plaster Creek Watershed
Project GreenER
Project GreenER is a free, eight-session adult educational program that fosters understanding of and builds agency for watershed care
School Partnerships
PCS partners with local K-12 schools to implement place-based learning, classroom activities, and student-led restoration projects
Project GreenER is a free, eight-session adult educational program intended to foster understanding of and build agency for watershed care. Hosted by Plaster Creek Stewards, this program equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills to implement creek- and climate-friendly projects within their communities. Meeting twice monthly, participants explore Plaster Creek as a historical and present place, learn watershed ecology within the context of climate resilience, build practical and community connection skills, and be eligible to receive funding to plan and implement green projects in their own neighborhoods.
Who can participate?
Any adults (18+) who are connected in some way to the Plaster Creek watershed – such as living, working, attending worship, or recreating in the area.
You're qualified!
Yes! No prior knowledge or education is necessary to participate in this program. If you are interested in learning more about Plaster Creek, your watershed neighbors, and how to improve local environmental health through community-based action, then this opportunity may be a good fit for you.
What’s required of participants?
Commitment to regular attendance of the sessions and seeing the project work through to completion.
Timeline
Learning sessions will be scheduled out over 4 months, every other week, typically on weekday evenings. The first half hour of each meeting will be dedicated to building community over a meal. Participants will also be invited to attend extra hands-on experiences outside of normal meeting times, as opportunities arise and participants’ schedules allow. Additional assignments between classes will be offered, as well, to deepen engagement and allow participants to follow their own curiosities.
Logistics
Cost
There is currently no charge for this program. However, if participants would like to contribute to the project fund, those contributions (in addition to grant funding available) will be divided equally among all participants at the program's end to support their projects. The projects might include things like rain gardens, landscaping with native plants, planting trees, hosting educational events, or other activities that interest participants.
Transportation assistance
If transportation assistance is required, please communicate with leadership to receive bus passes for transportation to and from sessions.
Meeting locations
We intend for this program to be an in-person experience since so much of our ecological restoration work and community engagement efforts are place-based and hands-on. Meetings will be held at one or both of the following locations:
- Garfield Park Neighborhood Association
- Bunker Interpretive Center