Saginaw, MI

Description: Earth Force partners with General Motors and the Saginaw School District to engage youth in GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network), in which young people develop into active citizens who improve conditions in their watersheds now and in the future.

Why We Are Here: Earth Force’s long standing partnership with General Motors prompted the GREEN program’s establishment in Saginaw.

Saginaw was once a large lumber and manufacturing center, and continues to have a manufacturing presence in the Tri-City area of Michigan (including Bay City, Midland and Saginaw). The Saginaw River and Bay watershed’s natural resources support agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, outdoor recreation, and a vast variety of wildlife. It is also Michigan's largest watershed including 22 counties and the largest contiguous freshwater coastal wetland system in the country. The watershed drains approximately 15% of Michigan's total land area (EPA website).

The Saginaw River is an Environmental Protection Agency Area of Concern, a designation given to watersheds where certain beneficial uses have been impaired. Major concerns in the watershed are contaminated sediments, fish consumption advisories, degraded fisheries and loss of significant recreational values. Saginaw River priorities include remediation of PCB contaminated sediment, nonpoint pollution control, wetland restoration, and habitat restoration.

Demographics: Saginaw:

Saginaw School District - 95%of all students served are receiving free/reduced lunch

30.1% of families were below poverty level throughout Saginaw.

According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, the racial composition of Saginaw was:

• White: 50.51%

• Black or African American: 42.82%

• Native American: 0.50%

• Asian: 0.28%

• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.00%

• Some other race: 2.71%

• Two or more races: 3.18%

• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 12.13%

Source: American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "Saginaw, Michigan - ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates: 2006-2008". Factfinder.census.gov. link. Retrieved 2010.

What We Are Doing: The GREEN program is working toward educating the next stewards of the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay watershed through direct water monitoring experience with General Motors mentors and the City of Saginaw school district. We are just beginning a partnership again in this community after several years, and are excited to link to other projects in the larger watershed, including Bay City and Flint GREEN programs.

Earth Force History in this Community: Saginaw’s Project GREEN developed in the early 1990’s with the Saginaw Public Schools. Earth Force has continued the GM partnership and brought service-learning to the GREEN program since 1999.

Number of Youth: 0

Number of Educators: 0

Participating Partners: General Motors – www.gm.com

Participating School Districts: Saginaw Public Schools - http://www.stcs.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=1

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