“We've been planting alongside Au Gres students and neighbors since 2019, and it's exciting to see local leaders and volunteers work together to develop a community-centered way to sustain investment in water quality protection.” - Abigail Ertel, Director of Community Engagement

In January 2022, Au Gres became the first city to sign the Lake Huron Forever Pledge, committing to reduce stormwater runoff, manage invasive species and reduce the use of harmful chemicals citywide. The pledge built on years of collaboration with Huron Pines, Bay Area Community Foundation, Michigan Sea Grant and the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative to identify, design and install nature-based infrastructure throughout the community.

Au Gres has shown their commitment to protecting Lake Huron by building bioswales and rain gardens at locations throughout the city. Each uses deep-rooted native plants to capture and filter stormwater and pollutants before they reach the Au Gres River, Saginaw Bay and eventually Lake Huron. What started in 2019 as an Au Gres-Sims School project to build a campus rain garden, has grown into a citywide initiative to support the health of Lake Huron. 

Keeping these gardens healthy requires ongoing care, from weeding and mulching to replacing plants season after season. To bring more consistent funding and planning to that upkeep, the City partnered with Huron Pines and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on Lake Huron Forever: Rooted in Au Gres, a program inviting local businesses and residents to sponsor the maintenance of the city's rain gardens. 

Rooted in Au Gres is piloting a new approach to a challenge faced by communities of all sizes: funding long-term green infrastructure maintenance. Au Gres and Huron Pines have built out a framework  other communities can adapt, including tools for setting maintenance budgets and goals, templates for promotion and signage and training for volunteers and city staff. Huron Pines hopes to bring this model to other Lake Huron Forever communities looking for sustainable ways to fund their own nature-based infrastructure.

As a Lake Huron coastal community, Au Gres's economy and identity are closely tied to the water — from its harbor and fishery to the visitors it draws each summer. As the first Lake Huron Forever community, Au Gres continues to show how small coastal communities can incorporate nature-based solutions into city planning. These ongoing projects help educate the community, protect the environment and provide a beautiful public space that can be enjoyed by birds, bees and people alike.