The $215,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation will support Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ Reclaiming the Plaster Creek Watershed project.
The corridor-based restoration effort spans over 200 acres across nine sites and around six miles of Plaster Creek through Grand Rapids and Wyoming.
The project includes removing invasive species, restoring native plants, stabilizing wetlands and streambanks, and improving water quality. It also includes trail repair, habitat connectivity and public access.
Plaster Creek is considered one of the most polluted waterways in West Michigan due to suburban stormwater runoff containing bacteria, fertilizer, PFAS, E. coli, and other pollutants. As a Grand River tributary, creek conditions directly affect downstream water quality.
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is a nonprofit founded in 2008 focused on protecting, enhancing, and expanding parks and public spaces throughout the city.
