Ford donates 242 acres to Detroit River refuge

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge continues to grow now that Ford and its affiliate Automotive Components Holdings have donated 242 acres to the sprawling wetlands near Monroe.

Ford has owned the land since 1949 and it has been dormant for years. It is located adjacent to the old Monroe Plant (now a warehouse), Lake Erie in Monroe County, Sterling State Park and the River Raisin. The land serves as an important habitat for migrating birds (think bald eagles) and other wildlife and vegetation, like the American Lotus – a yellow flower.

"It's pristine land," says Della DiPietro, director of government relations and public affairs for Automotive Components Holdings.

Ford and Automotive Components Holdings have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maximize the area's natural resources by surveying and researching it over the last five years. This donation agreement will add to the thousands of acres of natural green space that is already in place in that section of Wayne County.

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge was established in 2001. It incorporates more than 5,700 acres along a 48-mile stretch of shoreline on the lower Detroit River and western Lake Erie. It is the only international wildlife refuge in North America and one of the few urban refuges in the United States.

Source: Della DiPietro, director of government relations and public affairs for Automotive Components Holdings and Ford
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ford donates 242 acres to Detroit River refuge

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