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Royal Oak's alley experiment, Rouge River discovery, and Mussel stocking | Brother Nature
Royal Oak is undertaking an experiment along one of its well-trafficked alleys where it's using the invasive tree of heaven and Japanese knotweed for a workshop. Also on Brother Nature this week, snuffbox mussel gets stocked and Friends of the Rouge rediscovers a lost fish.
(FOX 2) - Environment Michigan Research & Policy Center is calling on residents to help restore and protect the natural world.
How can they do that? By counting roadkill and wildlife on the side of the road.
Michigan ranks near the top for states with vehicle-animal collisions, according to Calvin Floyd, who works with the center. "Unfortunately, we also lag behind most states across the country in terms of doing something about that problem," he added.
The 2026 Roadside Wildlife Count represents the beginning of a process that would identify solutions to the issue.
The 2026 Roadside Wildlife Count
Big picture view:
From Oct. 2 until Oct. 11, residents are encouraged to track the number and type of animals they see on the side of the road.
Data collected during the count will be used to inform policy in the future that will eventually lead to fewer collisions between animals and vehicles, as well as safer passage for wildlife attempting to cross the barriers people built around them.
"Everyone knows someone or has experienced themselves a vehicle animal collision with a deer," Floyd said. "We also have (elk) in the northern part of our state. It's also smaller critters, salamanders, turtles, porcupines that are running into these vehicle animal collisions as well."
The barriers that Environment Michigan is seeking a solution around include busy roadways, bridges, and other structures that prevent animals' passage.
Dig deeper:
By collecting data on the abundance and type of animals on the sides of roads, both the state and federal government can better understand the areas most deadly for wildlife.
A hotspot analysis being carried out by the DNR and Department of Transportation with the help of federal grant money will be used to figure out the best places to build wildlife crossings and corridors.
"The 2026 Roadside Wildlife Count is a community science initiative to get a better understanding of the impacts that roads have on wildlife here in Michigan and across the country," Floyd said.
How to get involved
What you can do:
Volunteers interested in signing up can do so at this link.
After doing so, an email will be sent to the volunteer with instructions about collecting data. It's done on the Survey123 app, which can be downloaded from a smartphone store.
Safety is key here, says Floyd. Only passengers should participate in the count.
All wildlife should be counted — both dead and alive.
The Source: Environment Michigan was cited for this story.