The Rouge River was long known as one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. A mid-1980s tipping point awakened watershed residents that raw sewage was overwhelming their river. Today, people have overcome apathy and are working together to bring their river back to life.
John Hartig is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. For 14 years, he served as Refuge Manager for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. John has received numerous awards for his work, including a 2022 Crain’s Detroit Business’ Notable Leader in Sustainability, the 2015 Conservationist of the Year Award from the John Muir Association, and a 2010 Green Leaders Award from the Detroit Free Press. He has authored or co-authored over 150 publications on the environment, including eight books. John’s recent book titled Waterfront Porch won a 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the “nature/environment” category.
Program Schedule:
5:00pm: Doors open. Guests can enjoy museum experiences, including our traveling exhibit, Galileo
6:00 - 7:00pm: Lecture and Q&A
7:00 - 8:00pm: Galleries open Ticket Prices:
Tickets are $10 for adult members; $5 for children members. For non-members, adult tickets are $15; $10 for children. All children under age 2 are free.
This event is geared toward ages 16 and up.