U.S. Forest Service on Zaagkii Project and protecting pollinators and importance of native species plants
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/wildlife/plants_botany
Negaunee, Michigan - Surrounded by a swarm of 150,000 loudly buzzing bees on a hot summer day, a group of Marquette County teens turned nervous faces and trepidation into smiles and a education that they heard loud and clear to protect rather than fear pollinators.
At first only two teens wearing protective beekeeping gear entered the apiary behind the Negaunee township home of Jim and Martha Hayward. The others wearing only shorts and t-shirts soon approached when they discovered that honeybees are not aggressive.
Bees and butterflies "are a part of the web of life because they pollinate all the flowers and fruit trees that provide us with food," said Dr. Jim Hayward, a Marquette dentist who has four honeybee hives on a shaded hillside.
The teens literally got up close with the honeybees by inspecting honeycomb trays each covered with about 3,000 busy bees and even handled a drone that Hayward explained do not have stingers like the rest of the colony and are easily identified by a larger round abdomen and bigger eyes.
"It doesn't have a stinger? Are you positive?," asked teen Keith Gelsinger of Marquette.
"I am positive," Hayward said.
The teens let out an audible gasp when Hayward pulled out a tray that was dripping with honey and packed with bees.
"Oooohh," several of the astonished youths said at once.
Pointing to the edge of the honey-oozing tray in the bright sun, Hayward said.
"It's awesome,' said 13-year-old eighth grader Tanya Nelson of Ishpeming.
The teens visited a bee farm operated by Dr. Lisa Long and Lee Ossenheimer in Negaunee Township and heard from beekeeper Jon Kniskern of Marquette.
Zaagkii Project sponsors: Nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the United States Forest Service (USFS).
Teen Anatoly Nelson was impressed that he was able to stand in the huge swarm and not get stung.
The three-year Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project protects pollinators through habitat creation that includes teenagers constructing dozens of bee and butterfly houses while helping native plants flourish by distributing and planting tens of thousands indigenous seeds.
Billions of bees of have died worldwide in an ongoing syndrome dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Suspected CCD causes: Pollution, pesticides, climate change, habitat destruction.
Zaagkii Project contributors: Marquette Community Foundation, Marquette County Juvenile Court, the M.E. Davenport Foundation, the Kaufman Foundation and the Phyllis and Max Reynolds Foundation.
Jan Schultz, USFS
Botany, Non-native Invasive Species
Special Forest Products Program Leader
USDA Forest Service Eastern Region
626 Wisconsin Avenue, 7th Floor
Milwaukee, WI
53203
1-414-297-1189 (wk)
jschultz@fs.fed.us
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers
Rev. Jon Magnuson
Zaagkii Project Founder
Nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute Executive Director
402 E. Michigan St.
Marquette, MI
49855
906-228-5494 (hm)
906-360-5072 (cell)
magnusonx2@charter.net
http://www.cedartreeinstitute.org
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC):
http://www.kbic-nsn.gov
KBIC Tribal Chair Warren C. "Chris" Swartz Jr.
906-353-6623 ext. 4104
Todd Warner, Director of KBIC Natural Resource Department
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
1-906-524-5757 ext. 13
Northern Michigan University
Center for Native American Studies
April Lindala, Director
112F Whitman Hall
Phone: 906-227-1397
Fax: 906-227-1396
alindala@nmu.edu
http://webb.nmu.edu/Centers/NativeAmericanStudies/index.shtml
Marquette County Juvenile Court:
http://www.co.marquette.mi.us/departments/courts/juvenile_court/index.htm
http://www.co.marquette.mi.us
Marquette County Juvenile Court & Project WEAVE:
http://www.reclaimingfutures.org/?q=locations_marquette
Borealis Seed Company
Big Bay, Michigan
Run by mother-daughter team of Judy Keast and Suzanne Rabitaille cultivating about 5 acres of a 20-acre spread three miles south of Big Bay, Michigan.
http://www.ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/index.html
Upper Peninsula Children's Museum
http://www.upcmkids.org
Nativevillage.org main Zaagkii Page:
http://www.nativevillage.org/Messages%20from%20the%20People/KBIC%20Tribal%20Y...
NativeVillage.org 2009 Zaagkii story/photos:
http://www.nativevillage.org/Messages%20from%20the%20People/KBIC%20Tribal%20Y...
Marquette Monthly Sept. 2009 Zaagkii Project
http://mmnow.com/mm_archive_folder/09/0909/feature.html
Zaagkii Project Blog:
http://zaagkiiproject.wordpress.com
Music courtesy of Chicago area band Dragon Fire Parade (with Upper Peninsula roots).
Andy Wicklund - Guitar
Tim Obert - Guitar
Peter Nemanich - Bass
Chris Hammond - Drums
email Dragon Fire Parade:
pnemanic@gmail.com
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2009 Zaagkii Video #3: Michigan teens give away mason bee houses, honor supportersby ZaagkiiTV664 views
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