What is Stream Monitoring? The Van Buren Conservation District, Two Rivers Coalition, and volunteers come together to protect our water. We wade into rivers and streams to collect macroinvertebrates (bugs and the like) to monitor our water’s health. We always have fun, and you don’t need experience to join in! Why bugs/macroinvertebrates? One cup of water […]

Learn what it takes to be a community scientist at this free event! You will help to collect aquatic insects to monitor the water quality of Eaton County streams. Volunteers will meet at the C.S. Mott Academic Center at The University of Olivet to review stream monitoring protocols before going out into the field. All […]

Adopt-A-Stream is a volunteer-based initiative that empowers community members to protect local streams and rivers by monitoring water quality. Volunteers are trained, teamed-up, assigned sites, given equipment and data sheets then sent out into the field to gather information on streamside habitats, physical characteristics, and aquatic insect populations. Each team will receive its own time […]

Spring is around the corner, which means we're gearing up for our annual Stream Team Spring Monitoring field day on Saturday, May 3rd at 10 a.m. If you want to support your river, Stream Team is for you! We host water quality monitoring events every spring to gather data used for monitoring and conservation efforts. […]

Learn what it takes to be a community scientist at this free event! You will help to collect aquatic insects to monitor the water quality of Eaton County streams. Volunteers will meet at the C.S. Mott Academic Center at The University of Olivet to review stream monitoring protocols before going out into the field. All […]

Volunteers needed! Join us to collect samples of aquatic insects, snails, and algae from local rivers, and learn what they reveal about water quality. When you participate in our biannual Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program, you’ll spend a morning “in the field” as a community scientist by gathering indicator species (insects that help us study water […]

Interested in being a part of Adopt-a-Stream? Volunteer with us to look for and collect macroinvertebrates (aquatic bugs) on the bottoms of streams. Collection involves wading into a stream and using a special net to collect the insects. Sorters will be stationed along the bank and sift through the nets to extract the macro-invertebrates and […]

Little Forks began monitoring the water quality of the Cedar River starting in 2015, and with the help of volunteers, we've captured 10 years of water quality data in the Cedar River Watershed through sampling for macroinvertebrates. With an increase in restoration projects and land protection along the watershed, we have documented positive changes in […]

Dive into a hands-on environmental conservation experience and explore our local ecosystems up close. Whether you're a seasoned nature enthusiast or simply curious, this event offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the health of our waterways. Both kids and adults are welcome to participate. REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER TODAY! Email Lisa at lisa.kuntz@macd.org. Event Highlights :  […]

**This event has been rescheduled to May 30th due to a power outage at The University of Olivet.** Learn what it takes to be a community scientist at this free event! You will help to identify the aquatic insects collected from Eaton County streams to calculate a water quality score. Volunteers will meet in a […]