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Waterway Stewards plan large volunteer riverfront cleanup, restoration in Kalamazoo
Summary
A volunteer-led stewardship group outlined plans to remove invasive plants and litter along 1.2 miles of Kalamazoo riverfront, with April volunteer events at Mayer's Riverfront Park and Verberg and partnerships with local nonprofits and colleges.
Mike, a presenter with Waterway Stewards, told the Kalamazoo City Environmental Community Committee that his group will return to Kalamazoo this spring to stage a large volunteer cleanup and habitat-restoration effort along the Kalamazoo River.
The effort is focused on roughly 1.2 miles of riverfront trail from Mayer's Riverfront Park to Verberg and will combine litter removal, invasive species treatment and selective clearing to open river overlooks for recreation, Mike said. He told the committee the program is volunteer-driven and intended to impose little or no cost on city taxpayers.
"We have removed 135,000 pounds of litter and trash from our waterways," Mike said, describing the group's multi-city work and listing past results including bicycles, scooters and tires removed. He said the Kalamazoo events in the previous season mobilized about 230 volunteers and removed approximately 8,000 pounds of material in the Parchment–Comstock stretch, and organizers anticipate 260–500 volunteers this year if outreach continues.
Mike described partner organizations already committed to the April work: the city of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, local Rotary clubs, BCK CISMA (an invasive-species partnership), Wild Ones and college volunteers from Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He said trained team leaders will supervise crews to avoid damage when cutting and treating invasive species such as buckthorn, tree-of-heaven and phragmites.
Committee members asked whether the plan includes built structures; Mike said the project will create cleared natural vantage points and sight lines rather than adding new infrastructure. He offered to send a digital flyer and a link to a dedicated webpage for broader promotion.
Committee members and public commenters encouraged participation and noted the project’s potential to raise awareness of river conditions and nonpoint pollution. Iris, a member of the public who identified herself as an environmental advocate, said she had participated in last year’s cleanup and urged residents to volunteer.
The committee did not take a formal vote but agreed to help promote the event and encouraged staff to accept materials Mike offered for distribution. The committee also suggested coordinating with Earth Day and other spring volunteer activities to boost turnout.
Looking ahead, Mike said the restoration work will continue into the fall and possibly for several seasons to let native habitat re-establish. He asked the committee and city staff to share the online flyer once he sends it.
