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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) today joined Friends of the Detroit River, Michigan Sea Grant, and other project partners to celebrate the hard work and dedication of those who have helped shape a new future for the Detroit River. The restoration projects highlighted included a tour of Stony Island near Grosse Ile, where work is being done to counteract wetland loss on land that is critical to fish, waterfowl and migratory birds, and Belle Isle where nearly 300 acres of habitat have been restored.

“Today, thanks to dedicated community partners, and with the critical help of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, waters in our region have been completely transformed,” said Dingell. “In the Detroit River, wildlife habitats have been restored, eagles have come back and native fish populations have grown. We cannot take this progress for granted. The Great Lakes are a way of life – they represent more than 20 percent of the world’s freshwater and are critical for our economy and thousands of jobs. We must commit to continuing to protect this precious natural resource and instill in future generations the importance of continued environmental stewardship.”

At 28 miles long, the Detroit River serves as one of the busiest waterways in the world connecting Lake St. Clair and the Upper Great Lakes to Lake Erie. It also serves as an international border with Canada and is home to the only international wildlife refuge in North America.