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Cedar Tree Institute

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    • Love Story: Young WI kayakers circle Lake Superior and celebrate their love

      Ashland, Wisconsin residents Alissa Weitz, 26, and Brian Castillo, 23, will soon be completing their 1,300 mile journey around Lake Superior.

      They are a couple in love with Lake Superior and each other - on a modern day lover's adventure.

      They arrived in Marquette in late July and spent Lake Superior Day hiking with friends and swimming including jumping off the tall cliffs at the city’s “black rocks.”

      A big part of their quest is educating the public about the environmental value of Lake Superior.

      Averaging 25 miles a day - with their longest day over 40 miles.

      They encountered water temperatures as low as 38 degrees, fog outside of Marquette, rough waves outside of Houghton, Michigan that prevent them from rounding the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula - and instead cut through the Keweenaw Waterway.

      They left Ashland, Wisconsin on July 1 and hope to complete their two-month journey around the first week of September.

      Weitz is a native of Dubuque, IA & Castillo is a native of Madison, WI.

      Graduates of the Northland College outdoor education program in Ashland, Wisconsin, the couple were competitors working for different kayak guiding companies when they met two years ago and fell in love.

      They are documenting their adventure at:
      http://www.sessiononsuperior.blogspot.com

      Thanks to Down Wind Sports in Marquette, Brian picked up a new kayak due to problems with the one used during the first part of the trek. Sea Kayak Specialists of Marquette provided tools and space to repair their equipment.

      This video was made in cooperation with the Cedar Tree Institute, Earth Keeper Initiative, Earth Healing Initiative and Turtle Island Project, all northern Michigan non-profits protecting Lake Superior.

      Special thanks to the Lake Superior Binational Forum for helping make this video possible.

      News coverage of Alissa, Brian:
      Marquette:
      http://www.miningjournal.net
      http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/513...

      BlogsMonroe:
      http://www.blogsmonroe.com/expatriate/2008/07/25/pair-a...

      Ashland paper:
      Marquette Photo:
      http://www.ashlandwi.com/articles/2008/07/24/news/doc48...

      Story prior to trip:
      http://www.ashlandwi.com/articles/2008/07/02/news/doc48...

      WX Channnel:
      http://uservideo.weather.com:80/item/GY56YQ4K0TH0B3CS

      Lake Superior Binational Forum
      Lissa Radke, LSFB US Coordinator
      715-682-1489
      http://www.superiorforum.info

      Northland College in Ashland, WI:
      http://www.northland.edu/Northland

      Clean Wisconsin:
      http://cleanwisconsin.org

      Down Wind Sports:
      http://www.downwindsports.com/index.html
      http://www.downwindsports.com/about.html
      http://www.downwindsports.com/paddling.html

      Owners: Bill Thompson, Todd King, Jeff Stasser and Arni Ronis

      Marquette: 906-226-7112
      514 N. Third Street
      Marquette, MI
      49855

      Houghton: 906-482-2500
      308 Shelden Ave.
      Houghton, MI
      49931

      Sea Kayak Specialists:
      http://www.seakayakspecialists.com
      http://www.seakayakspecialists.com/html/about_sks.html
      http://www.seakayakspecialists.com/html/contact_us.html

      Sea Kayak Specialists
      PO Box 94
      Marquette, MI
      49855

      Sam Crowley
      http://www.glsks.org/sam_crowleypage.htm

      Nancy Uschold
      906-250-4238

      Other links:
      http://caskaorg.typepad.com/caska/2008/07/superior-sess...

      UM Sea Grant
      http://www.seagrant.umn.edu
      http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/fieldguide

      EcoSuperior Enviro:
      http://www.ecosuperior.com

      Environment Canada:
      http://www.ec.gc.ca

      Turtle Island Project official website:
      http://www.turtleislandproject.org

      Earth Healing Initiative:
      http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org

      Cedar Tree Institute: Michigan Earth Keepers, Manoomin Project & 2008 Zaagkii Wings & Seeds project
      http://www.cedartreeinstitute.org

      Earth Keeper TV
      http://www.youtube.com/yoopernewsman

      Turtle Island TV (youtube)
      http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse

      Earth Healing TV
      http://www.youtube.com/user/EarthHealingTV
      Ashland, Wisconsin residents Alissa Weitz, 26, and Brian Castillo, 23, will soon be completing their 1,300 mile journey around Lake Su... more

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      13 hours ago
    • Zaagkii Project called U.S. Forest Service "Success Story"

      The Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project is helping to save butterflies in northern Michigan thanks to Native American Teens and Marquette youth.
      Founded by the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute, the three-year project involves teens building butterfly houses that offer protection and rest and planting over 26,000 native plants that are vital to reproduction of numerous pollinators.
      The U.S. Forest Service says the project is a pollinator "success story."
      The Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project is the latest youth environment project founded by the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, Michigan in cooperation with the Marquette County Juvenile Court, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) and the United States Forest Service (USFS).
      The Zaagkii Project contributors and sponsors include the Marquette Community Foundation, the Negaunee Community Fund, the Negaunee Community Youth Fund, the M.E. Davenport Foundation, the Kaufman Foundation, the Phyllis and Max Reynolds Foundation, the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum in Marquette, Mich. and the Borealis Seed Company in Big Bay, Mich.
      The Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project is helping to save butterflies in northern Michigan thanks to Native American Teens and Marquette ... more

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      5 days ago
    • Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project Protects Pollinat...

      In July 2008, a three-year initiative began called the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project that involves Native American youth and Marquette teens building butterfly houses and planting over 26,000 native plants to help pollinators recover due to the shocking death of billions of honeybees across the Midwest and around the world.

      Butterfly houses are slimmer than better known birdhouses and are lined with bark offering a place for butterflies to rest, be protected and in some cases lay eggs.

      It's important as thousands of Monarchs pass thru the U.P. in the annual migration to Mexico of 3 million Monarchs.

      Native plants indigenous to any region of the world are important for local pollinators that can be fooled by imported vegetation resulting in death or eggs not hatching.

      The Zaagkii Project was founded by Rev. Jon Magnuson and his non-profit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, Michigan.

      The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community has long supported initiatives like the Zaagkii Project that were founded by the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute (CTI) including wild rice restoration and Earth Day clean sweeps. The three-year Zaagkii Project is sponsored by the KBIC, CTI, Marquette County Juvenile Court and the United States Forest Service.

      The Zaagkii Project would not be possible without contributors that include the Marquette Community Foundation, the Negaunee Community Fund, the Negaunee Community Youth Fund, the M.E. Davenport Foundation, the Kaufman Foundation, the Phyllis and Max Reynolds Foundation, with assistance from the Upper Peninsula Children's Museum in Marquette and the Borealis Seed Company in Big Bay.
      In July 2008, a three-year initiative began called the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project that involves Native American youth and Marque... more

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      1 day ago
    • Christian Century article on concerns over "acid" mines planned in Michi...

      Above Photo of Lake Superior shoreline © Jim Kruger

      Please read the Christian Century Article by Rev. Jon Magnuson on the "Acid Mine" that threatens Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

      An ELCA Lutheran pastor, Rev. Magnuson is known across northern Michigan for creating numerous interfaith environment initiatives and other projects projects involving over 150 churches/temples, American Indian tribes, college students, at-risk teens, health care professionals and many others.

      If this mine opens along Lake Superior, it could leak sulfuric acid into the Great Lakes.
      It's the first of countless sulfide and uranium mines planned for Northern Michigan.

      Besides unproven "new" technology, the mine will be open for only seven years - and create only about 150 short-term jobs. It's a drop in the bucket compared to the economic impact of the U.P.'s longstanding iron ore mines.

      A lot of greed for a smattering of nickel and other minerals that will be sucked out of our precious soil.

      The international mining company that wants to set up shop in Marquette County is Kennecott Minerals - an outfit with a dismal environmental record that has closed other acid mines without proper cleanup apparently finding it cheaper to fight in court than pay for the proper cleanup of the now vacent mine sites.

      Photo of Lake Superior shoreline © Jim Kruger

      Inland drilling: A debate over mining in Upper Michigan
      http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=5020

      Many fear that the aicd mines - that will be joined by uranium mines - are a death-knell for northern Michigan and its bread-and-butter tourism economy.

      Who will want to visit an area dotted by hundreds of acid pits and possibly polluted rivers, lakes and streams.

      There are recent swirling rumors that Kennecott took state officials on junkets and other allegations of wrongdoing as their deep pockets wooed local and state leaders.

      If true, it would not be the first scandal involving the local operation named the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company - as an important study critical of the mine were not made public by state officials until the information was leaked. Just an innocent oversight - the state claimed.

      Do you hear the whirring sound? - it's Marquette's founding fathers are spinning in their graves.

      For more information on the effort to stop the mines - visit Save the Wild UP website:
      http://www.savethewildup.org
      Above Photo of Lake Superior shoreline © Jim Kruger ... more

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      2 days ago
    • Menominee Tribal School students speak out about protecting Mother Earth

      Menominee Tribal School students in Keshena, Wisconsin are learning valuable lessons about protecting the environment and learning their tribe’s heritage including keeping native language alive.
      In April 2008 the tribal school’s 180 students participated in “Clean Up the Rez Day" by picking up garbage around the reservation. The many environment projects at the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin were part of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day challenge. During a drum & feast to honor the students, teacher Beth Waukechon and culture teacher Dana Warrington explained the importance of taking care of Mother Earth. During a field trip to Green Bay's Pamprin Park, students climbing a replica of the Planet Earth were reminded of their reservation clean up. The 234,000-acre reservation has thick forests and 24-miles of the pristine Wolf River. Sturgeons spawned in reservation portions of the river until two dams were built blocking annual migration. Fifth grader La-Rie Corn hopes to form an Earth Club at the tribal school. After whitewashing gang graffiti at a popular skateboard park, students replaced negative symbols with American Indian art. Corn, 11, knows about 500 Menominee words thanks to teachers & elders that care about saving their native tongue. Fourth graders Tahekiah Bourdon, Raven Webster, Shae Perez, Naneque Latender, & Sherlinda Nahwahquaw learned the importance of respecting the Earth and how it fits their heritage.
      Teacher Beth Waukechon said students will hopefully continue environment friendly practices as they grow older. MITW Restorative Justice Coordinator Claudette Hewson said the Menominee Teen Court Panel picked up litter & removed graffiti from roads signs in the Middle Village housing area. Tribal school students learned about the sturgeon, a vital part of Menominee heritage. Named the “People of the Wild Rice,” Menominee legend calls the sturgeon “the protector” of the grain that grows in water.
      Corn said sturgeon hold a high place in Menominee culture because they're one of three gifts the creator gave to the Menominee people. Language arts instructor Joe Awonohopay said Earth Week 2008 classes were devoted to the sturgeon including the effects of pollution on life cycle, habitat, biology and more.
      The College of Menominee Nation Implementing Sustainable Development Class collected electronic waste & pharmaceuticals. Students collected 23 pounds of medicines including 100 bottles of pills. The college students won 50 recycling bins in the Coca-Cola National Recycling Coalition Bin Grant. The class participated in the 10-week Recycle Mania project for the second year in a row. College Prof. Dr.William Van Lopik said the class is “actually doing something." Including curbside collections, Menominee reservation residents recycled over four tons of electronics.
      Sponsors: Community Resource Center, Menominee Tribal Police, Tribal Clinic, Maehnowesekiyah Wellness Center, Probation & Parole, Recreation Department, Community Recycling Project; Menominee County Sheriff’s Department, Keshena U.S. Post Office.
      The Earth Healing Initiative assisted some challenge organizers with interfaith liaisons & encouraged churches/temples to participate in Earth Day events. Videos on 2008 Challenge projects made possible ban US Environmental Protection Agency grant, EPA Region 5 office in Chicago, EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.
      The EHI involves American Indian tribes, churches/synagogues, other faith traditions working to heal, protect and defend the environment.
      Websites:
      http://www.menominee-nsn.gov
      http://mtsbia.edu
      http://www.menominee.edu
      http://www.earthhealinginitiative.org/keshenahtml
      http://www.earthhealinginitiative.org
      http://www.menominee-nsn.gov/healthFamily/maehnowesekiy...
      http://www.menominee-nsn.gov/healthFamily/youthDevel/yo...
      Interfaith graphics by Justice St. Rain/Interfaith Resources/Special Ideas:
      http://www.interfaithresources.com
      Menominee Tribal School students in Keshena, Wisconsin are learning valuable lessons about protecting the environment and learning the... more

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      7 hours ago
    • 2008 1,300 Mile Kayaking Odyssey: Young Wisconsin couple circumnavigating Lake Sup...

      (Marquette, Michigan) - It’s a 1,300 mile, two month odyssey - kayaking around the always beautiful and sometimes treacherous Lake Superior

      Ashland, Wisconsin residents Alissa Weitz and Brian Castillo are promoting the protection of Lake Superior - the world’s largest freshwater lake.

      The twenty somethings departed Bayfield, Wisconsin on July 1 and hope to complete their journey by September.

      The kayaking duo left Marquette, Michigan on Tuesday afternoon, July 22, 2008 to continue their journey.

      They arrived in Marquette for Lake Superior Day 2008 - this year that was July 20 2008.
      Lake Superior Day is sponsored by the Lake Superior Bi-national Forum and is held annually on the third Sunday of July.

      Alissa and Brian spent Lake Superior Day hiking with friends and swimming including jumping off the tall cliffs at the city's "black rocks."

      A big part of their quest is educating the public about protecting Lake Superior and why the largest of the Great Lakes is so important..

      The trek takes them through the Canada and the United States including Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Averaging 25 miles a day - with their longest day was about 40 miles.

      They encountered water temperatures as low as 38 degrees, fog outside of Marquette, rough waves outside of Houghton, Michigan that prevent them from rounding the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula - and instead cut through the Keweenaw Waterway.

      Thanks to Down Wind Sports in Marquette, Brian picked up a new kayak because of problems with the one used during the first part of their trek.

      Weitz is a native of Dubuque, Iowa and Castillo is a native of Madison, Wisconsin.
      Alissa is 26 years old and Brian is 23 years old.

      Graduates of the Northland College outdoor education program in Ashland, Wisconsin, the couple were competitors working for different kayak guiding companies when they met two years ago and fell in love.

      The Kayaker's (Alissa Weitz, Brian Castillo) "Session on Superior" blog about trip around the lake:
      http://www.sessiononsuperior.blogspot.com

      This video was made in cooperation with the Cedar Tree Institute, the Earth Keeper Initiative, the Earth Healing Initiative and the Turtle Island Project – all northern Michigan-based non-profits seeking to protect Lake Superior.

      And special thanks to the Lake Superior Binational Forum for helping make this video possible..

      Greg Peterson for Earth Keeper, Earth Healing and Turtle Island TV
      ---
      News coverage of Alissa, Brian:
      Marquette paper:
      http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/513...
      ---
      Ashland paper:
      Marquette Photo:
      http://www.ashlandwi.com/articles/2008/07/24/news/doc48...
      Story prior to trip:
      http://www.ashlandwi.com/articles/2008/07/02/news/doc48...
      ---
      WX Channnel:
      http://uservideo.weather.com:80/item/GY56YQ4K0TH0B3CS
      ---
      Lake Superior Binational Forum
      Lissa Radke, LSFB US Coordinator
      715-682-1489
      http://www.superiorforum.info
      ---
      Northland College in Ashland, WI:
      http://www.northland.edu/Northland
      ---
      Down Wind Sports:
      http://www.downwindsports.com/index.html

      Owners: Bill Thompson, Todd King, Jeff Stasser and Arni Ronis
      Marquette: 906-226-7112
      Houghton: 906-482-2500
      ---
      Sea Kayak Specialists:
      http://www.seakayakspecialists.com

      Sam Crowley, Nancy Uschold
      906-250-4238
      ---
      EcoSuperior Enviro:
      http://www.ecosuperior.com
      Environment Canada:
      http://www.ec.gc.ca
      ---
      Video made in cooperation with:
      ---
      Turtle Island Project official website:
      http://www.turtleislandproject.org
      Earth Healing Initiative official website:
      http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org
      Cedar Tree Institute: (Michigan Earth Keepers, Manoomin Project and the 2008 Zaagkii Wings & Seeds project)
      http://www.cedartreeinstitute.org
      Earth Keeper TV
      http://www.youtube.com/yoopernewsman
      Turtle Island TV (youtube)
      http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse
      Earth Healing TV
      http://www.youtube.com/user/EarthHealingTV
      (Marquette, Michigan) - It’s a 1,300 mile, two month odyssey - kayaking around the always beautiful and sometimes treacherous Lake Sup... more

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      10 hours ago
    • Earth Healing, EPA Great Lakes Challenge: Kalamazoo June 21 medicine collection fo...

      Residents of the Kalamazoo and all of southwest Michigan can to their part to protect the Great Lakes during a free public pharmaceutical collection later this month.

      Old and unwanted medicines and personal care products will be accepted on Saturday, June 21, from 9 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.

      The event is sponsored by Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provided a grant for the project.

      The collection is part of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge involving over 100 projects in eight states across the Great Lakes Basin.

      Southwest Michigan residents can rid their home of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals plus personal care products.

      Items that will be accepted include:

      Prescription medication, such as antibiotics, birth control, and insulin

      Medication samples and over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, cold medicine

      Personal care products, such as medicated ointments, lotions, and shampoos

      Veterinary medications

      Items that will not be accepted include:

      Medical waste like sharps and syringes and products containing mercury like thermometers.

      The collection is free to southwest Michigan households.

      Organizers say the collection is important to protect Lake Michigan and other lakes/streams like Arcadia Creek.

      An investigation by the Associated Press found a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, mood stabilizers and hormones, in the drinking water of 41 million Americans.

      Most medications pass untreated through wastewater treatment plants because those facilities are not designed to remove the chemicals.

      The pharmaceuticals are discharged into local rivers or groundwater.

      For more info call 269-373-5211.

      The goal of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was collecting/recycling of one million pounds of e-waste plus the collection/proper disposal of a million pills. The goals were exceeded by 500 percent..

      The Earth Healing Initiative (EHI) offered interfaith liaisons to volunteer and encourage members of local churches/temples to participate in the Earth Day events in their area.

      This video on EPA Challenge projects was made possible by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago, the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office in Chicago with the non-profit Interfaith EHI in Marquette MI


      The EHI involves American Indian tribes and a coalition of churches, synagogues and other faith traditions joining together to heal, protect and defend the environment.

      I’m Greg Peterson Earth Healing TV
      ---
      Related Links
      ---
      Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services
      http://www.kalcounty.com/hcs

      Kalamazoo County Environmental Health Bureau
      http://www.kalcounty.com/eh/index.htm

      Kalamazoo County
      http://www.kalcounty.com
      ---
      EPA Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
      http://www.epa.gov/ppcp
      ---
      EPA Region 5 Office
      http://www.epa.gov/region5

      Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative
      http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org

      Cedar Tree Institute
      http://www.CedarTreeInstitute.org

      Southwest Michigan First
      http://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com/index.cfm

      Kalamazoo Downtown Central City website
      http://www.central-city.net

      Wikimedia
      http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Kalamazoo%2C_Michigan

      Kalamazoo River
      www.kalamazooriver.net

      Loy Norrix High School
      http://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/education/school/...
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loy_Norrix

      Interfaith graphics by Justice St. Rain (Baha'i Community) of Interfaith Resources - Special Ideas website:
      http://www.interfaithresources.com

      1-800-326-1197
      1-847-733-3559
      Residents of the Kalamazoo and all of southwest Michigan can to their part to protect the Great Lakes during a free public pharmaceuti... more

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      1 day ago
    • One million pills, One million tons of electronics targeted for Great Lakes 2008 E...

      Numerous faith communities, American Indians tribes and many others being recruited to volunteer or participate in large eight-state Earth Day 2008 events across the Great Lakes Basin.

      Collections sites will accept old/broken computers, cell phones, TVs and other electronics to be recycled, and old/unwanted medicines to be properly disposed during the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge

      The EPA is awarding grants to some of the collection sites where residents can drop off e-waste and old/unwanted pharmaceuticals. The new Earth Healing Initiative will be organizing faith communities

      For more details read the article or check out these links: Or call Greg at 906-401-0109.

      Earth Healing official website::
      http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org

      EPA Press Release on challenge:
      http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/D48F2AD96EC6...

      EPA GLNPO Official challenge link:
      http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/earthday2008/index.html
      http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/earthday2008/events.html
      Numerous faith communities, American Indians tribes and many others being recruited to volunteer or participate in large eight-state E... more

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      24 days ago
    • Interfaith Blessing of the Garden: Native Plants are new lawn for 21st Century in ...

      During 2008 a solar fountain will flow - and wild flowers will bloom - in a native plants garden that has replaced the lawn at the Lutheran Campus Ministry "Lothlorien" house for students at Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

      An interfaith "Blessing of the Garden" ceremony included chanting, incense and other religious traditions from several faith communities.

      Earth Keeper Initiative volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson has the story.

      The producers thank Lutheran Campus Ministry student leader Sarah Swanson, NMU sophomore from Rapid River, MI for her videography and photography talents that helped make this video possible

      (Marquette, Michigan) - In the spring of 2008 a solar fountain will flow and flowers will bloom in a northern Michigan native plants garden nurtured by university students that was blessed by a Buddhist head priest and a Lutheran pastor
      A "Blessing of the Garden" ceremony was held in October 2007 at Lothlorien - the Northern Michigan University Lutheran Campus Ministry house near Lake Superior.
      A heavy rain poured the entire day almost causing the ceremony to be moved inside, but the sun came out for 20 minutes and the rain resumed just as the blessing and a tour were completed.
      Performing the blessing was Rev. Jon Magnuson, director of Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette, MI; and Rev. Tesshin Paul Lehmberg, head priest of Lake Superior Zendo, a Zen Buddhist temple.
      The Lothlorien lawn has been turned into a native plants garden that includes rocks from three of the Great Lakes.
      The LCM house name, Lothlorien, comes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.
      The garden includes Michigan plants and others from the Boreal border regions of the northern United States including Black Eye Susan, aster, dogbane, bluestem, and Sensitive fern.
      Prayers, incense, bells, and chants were part of the ceremony that included a tour of the garden by NMU Student Michael Joko Rotter, a member of Lake Superior Zendo.
      "Lothlorien is a magical kingdom part of what Tolkien called Middle-earth - where time passes differently," said Rev. Jon Magnuson, a Lutheran pastor, who founded the NMU EarthKeeper Student Team. Many of the campus ministry students belong to the interfaith NMU EK Student Team.
      "Our natural native plants landscaping - our Lothlorien garden - is a sign of a new way of living with the world," Magnuson said. "It honors the indigenous and native plants of our region."
      "Lothlorien came into being first as a song," Rev. Magnuson said. "The garden will be a haven for birds and other small creatures."
      "The fountain represents the water of Lake Superior and the waters of our baptism," Magnuson said.
      The Central Upper Peninsula Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans donated $1,600.
      "Students are involved - and we like to support things that young people are going to be enthusiastically involved in like this native plants garden," said Judy Quirk, president of the Thrivent central U.P. chapter.
      A fountain in the garden is going to be converted to solar power in the spring of 2008 and the sun will charge a battery allowing the water to flow in cloudy weather.
      "We hope this will inspire people to learn the benefits that native plants have, such as requiring a third less water, and no pesticides or fertilizers," said Rotter.
      Rotter said the "garden represents the hope of the future."

      Cedar Tree Institute:
      http://www.cedartreeinstitute.org
      Lake Superior Interfaith Communication Network:
      http://www.lakesuperiorinterfaith.com
      Thrivent Financial for Lutherans:
      http://www.thrivent.com
      During 2008 a solar fountain will flow - and wild flowers will bloom - in a native plants garden that has replaced the lawn at the Lu... more

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      4 days ago
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