A Saturday workshop in Farmington Hills will teach volunteers how to listen for frogs and toads, a valuable tool in the effort to maintain the health of the Rouge River watershed. 

The training will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. 11 Mile Rd. in Farmington Hills.

Registration is required, and anyone who is interested in learning about local wildlife and willing to devote a few evenings every month to listening is encouraged to sign up for the workshop, which is conducted by Friends of the Rouge. Volunteers learn how to recognize eight frog and toad calls commonly heard in Michigan in spring and are assigned a nearby area to survey by listening.

People from all walks of life participate in the survey, and children five and older are welcome when accompanied by a participating adult. Surveys must be done within the Rouge River watershed (survey blocks are assigned as close to volunteers as possible).

The survey has been conducted since 1998 and results are used to track the health of local wetlands.  Wetlands are critical to the health of the Rouge River.  The survey is funded through a grant from the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project and local Rouge communities.

Those who cannot attend Saturday are welcome to attend the March 13 training, held from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the E.L. Johnson Nature Center, 3325 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills.

Source: Friends of the Rouge press release