You don’t have to have lakefront property or even own a boat to know that water issues are important, especially here in the Great Lakes State. That information is being passed on to the next generation this weekend here in Holland.
Macatawa Water Festival
- Saturday, July 12
- Time: 10: AM - 2:00 PM
- Location: Kollen Park (240 Kollen Park Dr, Holland, MI 49423)
- Cost: Free to all guests and participants
- Rain Barrel Workshop is $50 per barrel
Lexi Kasper and Kelly Goward with the Outdoor Discovery Center are trying to make sure the stewards of tomorrow have a great understanding of our natural resources.
“The biggest concerns in Lake Makatawa are too much sediment and phosphorus that impair the habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms," said Kelly Goward, ODC Conservation Programs Director, " And so that really starts on the land. So we look, where on the land can we keep soil and nutrients in place, keep them from being washed away by rain and runoff, and out of the water?”
It's something the West Michigan-based Outdoor Discovery Center is working on this weekend at the Macatawa Water Festival.
“And we did that in about a 10 year period, from 2013 to 2023, doing things from best practices on farms to protect soil and keep it in place, to rain gardens at the park that we're at currently, and a lot of public education along the way," said Goward, "And in that 10-year effort, we were able to improve the water quality by about 60% reducing the amount of phosphorus that's in the lake. “
The non-profit works to further conservation education in Michigan, with the kid-focused Water Festival being a big part of spreading that message.
“Getting them out there, helping them know what really cool things are in their community, that they can grow a passion for, learn all about and then care about as they get older and they make choices within their own community," ODC Conservation Outreach Coordinator Kasper told me. "How are they going to take care of their future lawns? How are they going to go out and recreate?"
Starting Saturday, July 12th In Holland’s Kollen Park – this community event will have plenty for the whole family with activities like live animals, kayaking, and a rain barrel workshop.
“We just want to make sure that they know what's here, even if they don't come across it in their daily life," said Kasper. "Giving them a really fun, open environment to learn about all those things is really important.”
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