General News

From the Office of the Director

From the Office of the Director Marty Holtgren, PHD Executive Director, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly   Dear Friends and Partners, Speaking for the staff of the MRWA during these difficult times, we find our thoughts turning to you – the family and friends we are fortunate to work beside in protecting the watershed.  We hope…
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Something Fishy in the Bait Bucket: Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

By Zach Peklo, NCCISMA  Invasive Species Technician Temperatures are rising and the ice has melted.  More and more fishermen will be hitting the water in the upcoming weeks on local lakes as ice fishing shanties give way to water craft of all descriptions.  With over 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan and plentiful public access locations,…
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Be On the Watch for Eurasian Watermilfoil

By Zach Peklo, NCCISMA Invasive Species Technician Eurasian watermilfoil is an invasive plant that plagues many of Michigan’s lakes.  Submerged below the water’s surface, this limp aquatic plant has four delicate leaves arranged in a whorl around its stem. Each leaf is typically comprised of 12 to 21 leaflet pairs.  Eurasian watermilfoil can tolerate a…
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MRWA Receives Major Funding

Director’s Note: This grant is currently on hold due to covid 19 concerns and the start date to begin the fieldwork may be postponed. The USFS assures me that the funding is secure and we will be ready to begin as soon as the necessary funds are released. Marty Holtgren, Executive Director MRWA In January…
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MRWA Welcomes New Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2 2020 Organization: Muskegon River Watershed Assembly CONTACT: Marty Holtgren PHD (231) 591-2334 or email; mrwa@ferris.edu MRWA Welcomes New Director On behalf of the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, I am pleased to announce that Richard Houtteman has accepted a seat on our board of directors. Mr. Houtteman brings a notable skill…
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Newaygo County Conservation Collaborative

The Newaygo County Conservation Collaborative (NCCC) is a volunteer organization founded in 2018 that continues to flourish under the leadership of MRWA Executive Director, Marty Holtgren. The founding members in addition to the MRWA include: • Newaygo County Parks and Recreation • Michigan State University Extension • Newaygo Conservation District • Newaygo County Drain Commission…
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MRWA Receives GLRI Tree Planting Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2020 Organization: Muskegon River Watershed Assembly CONTACT: Marty Holtgren PHD (231) 591-2334 or email; MartyHoltgren@ferris.edu MRWA Receives Major Funding In January of this year the United States Forest Service awarded a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) reforestation grant to plant 882 native trees to the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA)….
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Hansen Joins MRWA Staff

In May of 2019 Mary Hansen, joined MRWA’s staff as an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program Coordinator. Hansen works in collaboration with NCCISMA on public outreach and education concerning AIS. Mary developed a database of lakes within the northern region of the watershed that contains contact information for each lake. This database serves to provide…
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