A nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute Photo Essay:
The first two years (2008-2009)
The Zaagkii Wings and Seeds project in northern Michigan
(Negaunee, Michigan) – Northern Michigan teens and Native American youth will continue their efforts to protect p0llinators during 2010 as volunteers in the the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project.
So far, the teens have built dozens of mason bee houses and butterfly houses that aid in pollinator protection and reproduction.
Some of the habitat houses were placed by the United States Forest Service in the “The People’s Garden” at U.S. Department of Agriculture Headquarters on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
“The mason bee houses are very useful,” said Jan Schultz, USFS botany and non-native species program leader in Milwaukee, WI.
Zaagkii youth volunteers have planted or distributed thousands upon thousands of native species plants and seeds – indigenous to northern Michigan that are vital for the survival of pollinators.
Zaagkii Project sponsors: Nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the United States Forest Service.
The summer of 2010 promises to be the biggest year yet for the northern Michigan Zaagkii Project as teens continue projects to protect pollinators and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community builds the first native plants greenhouse on an American Indian Reservation.
The greenhouse will assist in the proliferation of indigenous plants that ensure a healthy habitat for bees, butterflies and others whose pollinating activities ensure the future of plants, vegetables and fruit.
At the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute annual midsummer festival, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Tribal President Chris Swartz Jr. announce the building of a native plants greenhouse that scheduled in the spring of 2010 on tribal property near Baraga.
KBIC “is happy to be partnering with the Cedar Tree Institute and the U.S. Forest Service in trying to protect native plants and bring them back home,” said Swartz, during the CTI Midsummer festival in July 2009.
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.
Here are a series of photos of the first two years of the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula involving teens, Native American youth from several tribes and many others:
Teenagers Care:
Dozens of Upper Peninsula teens volunteer to protect pollinators.
Native Americans Care:
Levi (above left) and Leora Tadgerson (right) – who are Zaagkii Project interns from the NMU Department of Native American Studies – discuss their goals with Zaagkii Project Sponsor Jan Schultz (center), USFS botany and non-native species program leader in Milwaukee, WI.
The Tadgersons are brother and sister and members of the Bay Mills Indian Community.
U.S. Forest Service cares:
At the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institutes annual Midsummer Fest in 2008, Zaagkii Project Sponsor Jan Schultz (above), USFS botany and non-native species program leader in Milwaukee, WI, explains the project to supporters.
The Public Cares:
Upper Peninsula residents have generously supported the Zaagkii Project. In addition to personal donations, the Zaagkii Project contributors include the Marquette Community Foundation, Marquette County Juvenile Court, the M.E. Davenport Foundation, the Kaufman Foundation and the Phyllis and Max Reynolds Foundation.
Mason Bee Houses:
The Butterfly Lady:
For a second year, Susan Payant of Marquette, nicknamed “The Butterfly Lady,” taught Zaagkii Project teens about the importance of Monarch butterflies and native plants.
At the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute 2009 MidSummer Festival at Presque Isle Pavillion in Marquette during July, Payant reads a children’s short story/poem entitled: “Waiting for Wings” by Lois Ehlert, author, poet, designer, illustrator.
Hundreds of thousands of Monarchs pass through the U.P. each year enroute to a famous gathering spot in Mexico where millions of Monarchs converge from across the world.
Butterfly Houses:
Creating Butterfly Houses: Marquette teens and Native American youth (above photos) from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community construct and paint butterfly houses in the summer of 2008
The Band Cares:
Terracotta half-life performs at many Cedar Tree Institute functions including supporting the Zaagkii Project at the annuakl CTI Midsummer festivals.
Jerry Kippola, Guitar
Aaron Kippola, Alto Saxophone, Percussion
Obadiah Metivier, Bass Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
Jennie Peano, Vocals, Percussion
Steve Leuthold, Baritone and Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Dan Schaefer, Drums
Emmanuel Kawedi, Congas, Percussion, Vocals
Alumni – Keyboards, Guitars, Drums, Sax, Trumpet, Congas, Timbales, etc.
Thank you Mr. O: The one and only Obadiah Metivier, who designs all the Cedar Tree Institute related websites, is a Techie genius, band-member and concerned citizen extraordinaire
The Upcoming Shows of Terracotta half-life:
Wed 2/10/2010: Upfront
Fri 2/26/2010: Harley’s Lounge
Fri 3/12/2010: Marquette Food Co-op Meeting of Owners
Wed 3/24/2010: Upfront
Tue 7/13/2010: Menominee Summer Concert Series
Supporters Care:
Bees Care:
Zaagkii Project youth built dozens of bee and butterfly houses that have been put up across northern Michigan and even in the USFA “The People’s Garden” in our nation’s capitol.
Beekeepers Care:
The Zaagkii Project teens got up-close and personal with honey bees while visiting to apiaries in Negaunee Township, Michigan.
The brave teens, most no wearing protection, twice had 150,000 bees swirling around their heads as beekeeper Dr. Jim Hayward, a Marquette dentist, opened four honeybee hives on a shaded hillside in his backyard.
The teens also visited a bee farm along the Dead River operated by Dr. Lisa Long and Lee Ossenheimer in Negaunee Township and heard from beekeeper Jon Kniskern of Marquette.
CTI Board Cares:
CTI board member Steve Mattson thanks supporters at the annual CTI Midsummer Festival in July 2009.
CTI Board:
Jon Magnuson, M.Div., M.S.W. CTI Executive Director
Steve Mattson, Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Private Client Services
Jim Elder, Attorney, Elder Agency
CTI Advisory Council:
Larry Skendzel, Family Care Doctors
Gareth Zellmer, Consultant, Trainer
June Schaefer, Superintendent, MARESA
Laurel Kniskern, Pathways to Healthy Living
Larry Ziomkowski, Catholic Charities
Ken Kelley, Professor Emeritus, NMU
CTI Research Fellows:
John Rosenberg, Olympia, Washington
Arvid Sponberg, Valparaiso, Indiana
Supporters Care:
In the above two photos, community members show their support of the Zaagkii Project
Children Care:
The children: Above photos shows some of the children of the Cedar Tree Institute supporters – and when you get down to it – they are the reason the Zaagkii Project is important.
Protecting pollinators ensures there will be food, plants, vegetables and fruit for your childrens future.
Manoomin Project:
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community had worked closely with the Cedar Tree Institute on numerous environment initiatives including the Manoomin Project during which Marquette area teens planted over one ton of wild rice seeds to restore the vital grain to seven remote northern Michigan lakes and streams in the Lake Superior basin thanks to help from Native American elders from several tribes.
Click on this link to read an Indian Country Today newspaper story on the Manoomin Project
Our Founder Cares:
Zaagkii Project founder Rev. Jon Magnuson addresses project supporters at the annual Midsummer Fest inside the Pavilion at Presque Isle Park in Marquette, Michigan. Rev. Magnuson’s many projects including the Manoomin Project (restoring wild rice to northern Michigan) and co-founded the EarthKeeper Initiative that is supported by 10 faith traditions with 150 church/temples that planted 12,000 trees across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in May 2009 – and has recycled or properly disposed of about 370 tons of household hazardous waste, pharmaceuticals and electronic-waste on Earth Day (2005-2007).
Rev. Magnuson is the executive director of the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.
He is a quiet humble man – who gets up every day to better this world and do the difficult task of raising funds for his many interfaith environment projects and a vast array of our efforts involving caregivers, the medical community and the public.
We purposely slipped in this tribute to Rev. Magnuson near the end of our photo essay hoping he would not see it – because being a humble servant of God and nature – he would be embarrassed.
The photo (above, bottom right) that shows Jon stepping off the pavilion wall next to the butterfly is symbolic of his quest – always leaping forward and daring to go where others have not gone by creating coalitions between peoples of all races, creeds, economic background and gender.
The teens, Native Americans and many others respect the Cedar Tree Institute principals and track record as every penny goes into the projects:
The nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute Operational Principals:
1. The Cedar Tree Institute shall be firmly grounded in spiritual traditions. Our organization will reflect this commitment in its flexibility, its unfolding vision, its projects and its operational style. It shall work in creative partnership with churches and religious communities.
2. The Institute will work quietly and modestly. It will not target mass markets for its services or seek status for itself. It will seek to serve as a catalyst and resource for improving the quality of life and environment in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
3. The Institute will own no property and acquire no debt. Ten percent (10%) of any income after expenses shall be given (tithed) back to the community.
Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project: Protecting Pollinators 
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