50 years, 50 stories: Story #21 Huron River Fund

Protecting the Huron River Watershed for Future Generations

The 130 mile Huron River is one of southeast Michigan’s natural treasures and a recreational destination for many. Founded in 1965 by a group of residents and government officials, the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is one of Michigan's oldest environmental organizations and works to protect and restore the Huron River and its 910 square mile watershed. A few examples of the success HRWC has experienced include implementing a strategy to reduce phosphorus, protecting over 6,000 acres of natural area and farmland with Washtenaw County partners, and River Up! – a program to clean up areas along the river and improve access.

In 2003, HRWC’s Board of Directors established the Huron River Fund - an endowment at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation that will support the agency’s mission in perpetuity. AAACF and its donors have awarded nearly $20,000 in grants to support HRWC’s work – including a 2005 grant that helped HRWC create a strategic plan and redesign its website. Executive Director Laura Rubin notes, "A permanent endowment at AAACF ensures that efforts to maintain the Huron as a magnificent natural resource will continue for future generations."

One of the many ways the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
supports all that is good in our community.

Read more “good” stories at: aaacf.org/stories
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