2025 Partners: Organizations / Government
Fosters the appreciation and conservation of birds and the environment we share with events, experiences, field trips, citizen science opportunities, volunteering, resources, and advocacy.
Lots of great ideas for how to support healthy waterways and opportunities to volunteer and connect on the Clinton River. Almost all of Oak Park lies in the Clinton River Watershed
Restoring, protecting, and enhancing the Rouge River watershed through stewardship, education, and collaboration. Tons of great resources, especially on native plants, rain gardens, and rain barrels. A tiny part of SW Oak Park near 8 Mile and Greenfield lies in the Rouge River Watershed
A premier regional park system for Southeast Michigan with 13 individual properties, nearly 25,000 acres of woods, water, and recreational facilities providing a natural oasis for more than 7 million visitors a year. Education is an important part of their mission and they have three mobile learning centers and 10 full-service interpretive centers focused on nature, history and farming that engage more than 1.5 million individuals with programs about the environment, science, nature, geography and regional history.
Michigan DNR Stepping Stones aims to bring Michiganders of all ages, body types, abilities, orientations and backgrounds together through fun and educational activities that celebrate the outdoors by creating a sense of community. We team up with a diverse network of organizations that share the same mission to create opportunities for everyone to step into nature, have fun, and enjoy all the wonderful things Michigan's great outdoors has to offer.
michigan.gov/dnr/education/public/stepping-stones
MSU Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process that brings the vast knowledge and resources of Michigan State University to local communities in southeast Michigan. From cultivating sustainable agriculture to improving the health of families and nurturing the potential of our youth through 4-H programs, over 15,000 Oakland County residents annual participate in MSU Extension Programming. including plants, pottery, and garden decor.
The Oak Park Library serves residents with access to books, media, and resources and provides programming to support literacy, cultural enrichment, and access to services.
Dedicated to promoting sound environmental stewardship in Oakland County by providing residents with reliable information and technical assistance regarding the management and use of our natural resources helps you make conservation possible in your own backyard. We offer classes, community outreach, tree and native plant sales, presence at the Oakland County Farmer' Market, and a Backyard Habitat Certification course.
Creates and operates accessible, welcoming and sustainable parks and public spaces, provides recreational and educational programs and opportunities, preserves open space and stewards the environment to help all people be healthier and build resilient, connected communities in Oakland County. They offer free native plant kits every year.
RainSmart Rebates is two-year (2024-2025) residential pilot program geared towards homeowners in the George W. Kuhn Drain Drainage District. The pilot offers homeowners up to $2,000 for implementing sustainable stormwater practices such as tree planting, rain barrel installation, or creating a rain garden on their properties. The primary goals of the program include fostering awareness about stormwater management and promoting environmental stewardship.
oakgov.com/government/water-resources-commissioner/rainsmart-rebates
Passionate people dedicated to saving our native pollinators by restoring their natural habitats in home landscapes and gardens. Having successfully partnered with the City of Rochester to install five native habitats, a 13-acre public park with a restored prairie remnant, and milkweeds and native flowers in city bumpouts on Main Street, they spread their love for native plants and help other towns restore their habitats too.
We serve those in Oakland County, Michigan, and the surrounding area who are interested in native plants. Our goal is to educate and promote the benefit and use of Michigan native plants, which we do by bringing in local speakers and organizing field trips to nearby locations, including parks and members’ homes
2025 Partners: Businesses
A woman-owned small business based in Ferndale that provides coaching, maintenance, and kitchen garden installations to help Detroit-area homeowners and businesses set up and grow organic (sub)urban vegetable gardens.
A woman-owned small business based in Royal Oak, believes in the power of nature and the joy of gardening and offers small batch, slow-dried, hand-harvested herbs, seasonings, peppers, and tea blends grown directly from seed or propagation on-site with indoor hydroponics, propagation stations, or outdoors in the greenhouse or garden.