Pollinators & Plants: Hiawatha National Forest, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Tribal Partners
Channel: ZaagkiiTV
Date: 2012-06-12

National Pollinator Week June 18-24, 2012

Wilson, MI -- U.S. Forest Service employees at National Forests in Michigan and Wisconsin are restoring native plants -- while partnering with Native Americans and schools -- to protect pollinators and restore woodlands to before the invasion of invasive species.

Restoring native plants in the Hiawatha National Forest, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and tribal communities was explained by the USFS at an April 2012 workshop at the Hannahville Indian Community.

Reps from five Anishinaabe communities in Michigan and Wisconsin attended the Kinomaagewin-Aki: Teachings from the Earth workshop sponsored by the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project in cooperation with the USFS.

USDA USFS employees speaking:

Jan Schultz, USFS Eastern Region 9 Botanist (Non-native Invasive Species/Special Forest Products Program Leader) Milwaukee, WI

Nicole Shutt, USFS Biological Science Technician, Chequamegon--Nicolet Ntl. Forest (Lakewood/Laona Ranger District) Lakewood, WI

Melissa Simpson, USFS Ecologist, Chequamegon-Nicolet Ntl. Forest (Eagle River-Florence Ranger District) Florence, WI

Stephanie Blumer, USFS Botanist, Hiawatha Ntl. Forest, Escanaba, MI

Long term goals include growing native species plants in the Hiawatha Ntl. Forest, Blumer said.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is interested in hopefully growing (traditional) native species plants for gathering in the Hiawatha Ntl. Forest, Blumer said.

Short-term plans include collecting seeds and understanding each other's goals, Blumer said.

Shutt said the USFS helped begin and "keep going a native plant pollinator program" in the Chequamegon--Nicolet Ntl. Forest.

The USFS works with local schools including turning schoolyard lawns back into early successional native land habitats," Shutt said.

"Kids collect the seeds on National Forest lands and grow the plants in their classrooms," Shutt said. Students learn about respect and "how important it is that we all work together."

The USFS works with Wisconsin students to grow/distribute indigenous plants at Laona/Wabeno schools in Crandon and Goodman Armstrong Creek schools in White Lake.

Zaagkii Project
http://wingsandseeds.org
www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5353195.pdf

Nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, MI
www.CedarTreeInstitute.org

Zaagkii Project USFS Successes
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=6274
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=6284
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=5336
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=5499
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=5076
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=4025
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=6272
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=5538

USFS
www.fs.fed.us
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers

Wildflowers Posters by groups/artists Steve Buchanan, Eliza R. Steele
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/features/posters.shtml

Pollinator Partnership:
www.pollinator.org
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
http://pollinator.org/nappc

Larry Stritch
USDA USFS National Botanist
Washington, D.C.
202-205-1279
lstritch@fs.fed.us

Jan Schultz, USFS
E. Region 9 Botanist
Milwaukee, WI
414-297-1189
jschultz@fs.fed.us

Larry Heady
R9 Tribal Relations Specialist
414-297-3777
lheady@fs.fed.us

Stephanie Blumer
R9 Botanist
906-643-7900 Ext. 155
sblumer@fs.fed.us

Hiawatha Ntl. Forest
Gladstone, MI
906-428-5800
HiawathaNF@fs.fed.us
www.fs.usda.gov/hiawatha

Nicole Shutt, Biological Science Tech
Chequamegon-Nicolet Ntl. Forest
715-276-6333
nshutt@fs.fed.us
www.fs.usda.gov/cnnf

Melissa Simpson, Ecologist 
Chequamegon-Nicolet Ntl. Forest
Florence, Wisconsin
mdsimpson@fs.fed.us
715-528-4464 Ext. 139

Schoolyard Habitats Across Wisconsin
www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5274832.pdf
Nicolet Distance Education Network: Northwoods Academy
www.nden.k12.wi.us/nwacad/index.htm!
University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum Earth Partnership for Schools
http://uwarboretum.org
http://prdp2fs.ess.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5284397.pdf

Eagle River-Florence Ranger Dist. Excellence in Invasive Species Partnership Development award
http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/4439338/1907880214/name/3-9+Award+Press.doc
USFS R9 Pollinator Program honored: Preserving butterflies, dragonflies, birds, bats
www.fs.fed.us/global/wings/birds/awards/2011_WATA_booklet.pdf
Hiawatha Ntl. Forest shares native plant info with Bay Mills Indian Community
www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=3344
2011 Hiawatha Ntl. Forest (26) Restoration Sites:
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativeplantmaterials/documents/npmreports/fy2011/R9/NFN3_HNF_nativeplants_report_FY2011.pdf

Tribal reps. attending:
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC)
Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Hannahville Indian Community
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin

Zaagkii Project sponsors include KBIC, USFS, Marquette County Juvenile Court, U.P. Children's Museum, Northern Michigan University Center for Native American Studies