Youth create Gardens for Wings

Twenty-five youth from the Tustin Explorers 4-H Club and several Cadillac-area home school families joined forces to learn about pollinators and create two butterfly habitat gardens.

Laura Quist, a National Wildlife Federation habitat steward, wanted to give back to Kettunen Center by implementing a project involving local youth. As a habitat steward, she encourages the development of gardens for wildlife through schools and other community efforts.

“Kettunen Center is a perfect place to showcase and model native plants and pollinators,” Quist said. “Kettunen Center has contact with so many people throughout Michigan, and hopefully when guests stroll through the butterfly garden, they will take ideas back with them to their community.”

Quist explained that creating a garden to attract pollinators is important because one out of every three bites of food that humans consume is the result of pollinators. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, ants, beetles and humming birds. Examples of food crops that require pollinators are apples, blueberries, sugar cane and sugar beets.

“Many plants would not produce fruit without bees and other pollinators,” Quist said.

Youth in the Gardens for Wings project planned a butterfly garden at Kettunen Center and another around a new city pavilion in McBain. Activities included a presentation and game teaching why improving habitat for pollinators is necessary and important, presented by Quist. The youth then presented their butterfly garden project idea to the McBain city council.

Over the summer, the youth planted the garden at Kettunen Center and learned about native wildflowers and preferred plants as host plants and nectar plants. They will plant the garden in McBain this fall.

“The gardens are showcasing Michigan’s natural heritage by providing nectar to native animals and plants,” Quist said.

The garden at Kettunen Center includes decorative pavers using cement and stained glass pieces. Jenny Gray, Wexford County MSU Extension master gardener, assisted the youth in planting the garden.

“The kids had a good time arranging the plants in their garden while learning about flower colors, height and the need for shade or sun exposure,” Gray said.

The Gardens for Wings project is made possible by a grant from the American Forest Foundation’s Project Learning Tree Green Works! program. Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an environmental education program for educators and their students in grades pre-K through 12. Green Works! is its service-learning, community action program.

Originally published in the Fall 2009 issue of Vantage.

4-H workshop sponsors needed for 2009-10

4-H volunteer training workshops, held primarily at Kettunen Center, provide teen and adult volunteers with professionally conducted training experiences. Thanks to the generosity of donors, 60 percent of the cost of 4-H workshops is covered for 4-H teen and adult volunteers.

Workshop sponsors are sought for many of the workshops below. Full 4-H workshop sponsorship is $5,000; partial sponsorship is $2,500.

If you or your organization is interested in sponsoring a 4-H workshop, visit www.mi4hfdtn.org/workshops.html or call the foundation at (517) 353-6692.

Sept. 19–20 — 4-H Shooting Sports Archery Instructor Training*
Oct. 10 — 4-H Fall Horse Galaxy for State 4-H Horse Planning Committees
Oct. 17–18 — 4-H Clothing & Textiles Volunteer Workshop
Oct. 24–25 — 4-H Crafts, Visual Arts & Performing Arts Volunteer Workshop
Oct. 24–25 — 4-H Proud Equestrian Program Instructor Update*
Nov. 6 — Natural Helpers Volunteer Leader Training*
Nov. 13–14 — 4-H Rabbit & Cavy Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop
Nov. 21–22 — 4-H Adult Horse Volunteer Leaders Conference
Jan. 8–10 — 4-H Horse Show Judges & Managers Conference
Jan. 23–24 — 4-H Teen Citizenship, Leadership & Service Conference
Feb. 26–27 — 4-H Veterinary Science Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop
Feb. 27-28 — 4-H Beef, Sheep & Swine Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop
March 6–7 — 4-H Poultry Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop
March 19-21 — 4-H Environmental & Outdoor Education Volunteer Workshop
March 19–21 — 4-H Plant Science & Entomology Workshop
April 16–18 — Michigan 4-H Dairy Conference*
April 22–25 — 4-H Shooting Sports Trainer Workshop
April 23–25 — 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Workshop
May 15–16  — 4-H Companion Animal Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop
*Workshop to be held at another location.

Kettunen Center: teaching and practicing green

Kettunen Center has offered environmental education programs, such as 4-H TRACKERS, for more than 20 years. These programs, taught by Kettunen Center staff members, are designed to meet the Michigan Curriculum Framework for science standards and benchmarks.

But, what isn’t so well known is that Kettunen Center staff members not only teach environmental stewardship – they practice environmental stewardship as well.

“Kettunen Center has had a strong environmental ethic as one of its core values for many years. It’s a part of our mission,” said John Grix, Kettunen Center director.

Because of this strong commitment to the environment, Kettunen Center is a certified Green Lodging Michigan Partner with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. Green Lodging Michigan encourages facilities to implement environmental initiatives and costsaving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption and reduce waste.

“There was very little we needed to do to get certified because it’s something we had already been doing for years,” said Jamie Mielke-Mitchell, Kettunen Center operations coordinator.

Since its beginning, Kettunen Center has had a focus on environmental stewardship and preservation. When Kettunen Center opened in 1961 as the first 4-H volunteer and youth training center in the nation, the buildings were constructed to minimize the building imprint on the land.

The center has been through two major renovations, and each time there has been a focus on environmental conservation.

The Kettunen Center Improvement Project resulted in the construction of the Kettunen Center director’s residence in 1980, an earth-sheltered house built into a hillside. This allows for natural heating and cooling, protection from the elements and, therefore, energy saving.

In 1998, as a result of the Vision 2021 Campaign, Kettunen Center installed a geothermal heating and cooling system for long-term energy efficiency and underwent a major development of the forest and wetland trails and arboretum.

Currently, Kettunen Center is applying for the next level of certification to become a Green Lodging Steward by increasing the number of green practices implemented. Kettunen Center currently has a number of green measures in place.

To conserve and maximize energy, Kettunen Center has LED exit signs, light sensors, and ENERGY STAR-qualified light bulbs, dehumidifiers and dishwashers. Additionally, all computers and small appliances are turned off when not in use.

To reduce waste, the center has a comprehensive recycling program that all departments participate in. The center also uses recycled paper products for marketing materials, avoids single-use items and purchases products in bulk.

For water conservation, low-flow faucets, showerheads and fixtures are used, and guests are offered a towel and linen reuse program. The property is also landscaped with native plants and trees, and watering is done in the early morning or evening to reduce water consumption.

The Kettunen Center staff members established a Green Team made up of one staff member from each department. Each team member is responsible for reviewing and implementing green practices within his/her department. The staff newsletter also has a regular column dedicated to green practices.

“It’s not just a matter of an energy savings program. It’s a policy shared with all staff members on becoming aware of how we can decrease dependence on nonrenewable resources,” Grix said.

Originally published in the Winter/Spring 2009 issue of Vantage.