September 12, led by naturalists from Outdoor Discovery Center, a group of intrepid kayakers, including Hope Church members, ventured out onto the heralding waters of the Macatawa River. Fortunately everyone made it home safe other than some sore arms and wet clothes. We all saw first hand how murky the river was (1 foot of visibility) and how much clearer it became in wetland areas (3+ feet of visibility). We also spotted some of the birds that call the river home: Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, Black Crowned Night Herons, Red Tailed Hawks, and some assorted ducks. It was an educational afternoon but it showed us only part of how a watershed’s health can be improved.
For a more thorough picture, I invite everyone to attend a presentation on October 25 during Pizza Sunday in room 106. The Macatawa Watershed Project will provide an update on the status of Project Clarity, a five-year, $12 million campaign to cut down the amount of sediment, nutrient and bacterial pollution in Lake Macatawa.
~Joe Arevalo, Caring for Creation Coordinator