As noted in our email last fall the Passamaquoddy Maple Syrup Ventures was funded for three years by the Administration for Native Americans at the amount of $500,000 for each year. Forty-nine grant applications were received from all sources nationally; five were funded; ours was one of them!

The project is the development of Passamaquoddy tribe forest lands for maple syrup production in western Maine and the creation of value-added maple syrup processing plants on reservation lands near Eastport, ME. The Passamaquoddy are one of four native American tribes in Maine. Near Jackman, Maine they own over 60 square miles (twice the size of Manhattan Island!) of timber lands which contain productive stands of sugar maple trees that will be developed by meeting strict certified organic standards. The syrup will then be transported to processing plants for year around businesses of bottling and retail sales managed by tribal members, young and old, who share a passion for proliferating their culture through high quality agriculture and craft products. Although Projects, Inc. is involved as a consultant to the project, the project is 100%, wholly owned by the tribe meaning that sustainability is built in.

How does Project Inc, then, with its mission of community development, education, and service learning fit into this project which on the surface is about harvesting an agricultural commodity? For a short answer go to the: www.projectslearning.org/maple-sugaring-1975-1995/  page and read up on our Maple Syrup project, started in 1975. This is a signature example of how our non-profit uses experiences in the for-profit realm to identify and solve community wide problems. According to tribal leaders their issues around employment, substance abuse, small business development, cultural identity, and self esteem are palpable. What better opportunity, then, to develop a shared interest project with tribal members that creates employment through sustained business development using cultural and tribally owned natural resources. Improved self esteem and reduced substance abuse will be the welcome by products … the real results which will take hold and grow over time.

The Projects philosophy of realizing significant by products from activity in shared interests is at work. Heightened self esteem is realized through experience, by doing something with others; self confidence is created through repeated successes in production and marketing; being of service is learned through shared work and measureable performance; success has a way of breeding further success. This is why we are involved.

Last fall in a flurry of activity 48 hours after the grant award was made we struck out into the woods with timber cruise GPS locations, marked trees to be removed, performed the TSI (timber stand improvement), set in the tubing (some of it at in wind child of -35 F.) and are now preparing to collect the first run of sap and process it with reverse osmosis equipment in our “ship container” facility. Next year it will be different; but for now we need to join the industry and make a showing. Spring is on its way as are more of these posts!