The Bioreserve Project aims to protect the remaining natural areas in the watershed.

Forests, prairies, wetlands and other natural areas are beautiful and important places on their own. They also play a critical role in keeping the Huron River clean.

-Natural areas store and absorb rainwater and melting snow. Plants soak up and filter this water before it flows into the river.

-Rain and snow in natural areas also soaks into the groundwater, where it eventually flows back into the river in the form of springs and seeps. Along the way, that water gets filtered by the soil and cools, so it is healthier for river animals. And the steady flow of spring-water keeps the river flowing even when there’s not much rain.

-Wetlands and low-lying natural areas absorb excess water, preventing flooding downstream.

-Natural areas provide homes for trees and plants, habitat for wildlife, and of course offer people places to relax, play, and enjoy nature.

To protect the Huron’s vital natural areas, the Huron River Watershed Council has launched the Bioreserve Project, which…

-has created a Bioreserve Map of these remaining natural areas;

-is helping local governments, conservancies, and state and county agencies to prioritize limited funding to preserve the best natural areas first;

-is working with local governments to develop policies to protect natural areas;

-is providing information to natural area landowners to help them manage and maintain there natural areas;

-and is organizing volunteer teams to perform field assessments on these natural areas.

If you like to get outdoors and learn about ecology, join us!

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