More than 90 elementary school children will help to clean up trash along the heavily used fishing access at Tippy Dam on the Manistee River at 10:00 a.m., this Friday, May 29, 2009. This is the seventh year for the event that is part of Wellston Elementary School’s Earth Day activities and is supported by the Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) ,the Michigan Fly Fishing Club and Consumers Energy. As part of the event, each child will learn about the importance of taking care of our natural resources and how healthy ecosystems benefit the entire region. Representatives from Consumers Energy will present information on the electricity produced at the dam and the important habitat for hibernating bats that is provided by the dam.
CRA, based in Traverse City, is a private, non-profit organization coordinating watershed management and wildlife habitat projects throughout Northwest Michigan. The River Care initiative raises funds for local watersheds for both the immediate and long-term needs of these rivers.
The Conservation Resource Alliance has facilitated river restoration projects for 40 years, tackling high-priority problems that threaten to degrade Michigan’s world-class waterways. For more information about these types of projects or how you can get involved, contact Conservation Resource Alliance at 231-946-6817, info@rivercare.org or rivercare.org.