Yesterday we had the chilly pleasure of capturing a glorious sunrise at Humbug Marsh. Humbug Marsh is a wetland located on the Downriver shoreline of the Detroit River right between Gibraltar and Trenton. This last mile of undeveloped riverfront was saved by John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, representing Michigan for more than 59 years. Humbug Marsh is part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which stretches on both sides of the river from Lake Erie to downtown Detroit/Windsor.

Visitor Services Manager, Jody DeMeyere, at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge will be featured along with her team members of ecologist professionals to teach us about the importance of the Humbug Marsh as it relates to the surrounding communities and the overall health of the Detroit River.

We also spent a few hours on Belle Isle Park filming with Robert Clancy, ecological restoration specialist in the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. Over the course of the next year, Clancy and his team will be helping us understand the significance of the diverse wildlife that call Belle Isle their home. Belle Isle, while viewed by most as a wonderful place to come enjoy a picnic or bike ride, will be surprised to learn that the ecosystem of Belle Isle is and has been an integral part of the healthy ecosystem that it shares with the Detroit River. We even were able to document two Michigan bald eagles sitting in their nest.

We are certain the filming on Belle Isle will add a great deal of understanding of the importance of the 982-acre island park crown jewel nestled between Canada and the United states on the flowing 32 miles of river.

We are thrilled to feature in-depth stories about the Humbug Marsh and Belle Isle in our film Detroit: The City by the River.