The Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds Inc. (SAW) and its watershed members have announced the launch of the Saskatchewan Tree for Life Program.
The Saskatchewan Tree for Life Program utilizes the planting of native trees as a tool for natural-based solutions to climate change, restoring shorelines, providing habitat, and improving water quality in lakes and rivers across the province.
SAW has partnered with Environment and Climate Change Canada to distribute 24,000 native trees across Saskatchewan in efforts to minimize the impacts of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Trees are free of charge and will be distributed through member watershed stewardship groups
To order trees, contact your local watershed stewardship group. In this region, the contacts are:
* North Saskatchewan River Basin Council, Watershed Manager: Katherine Finn, Box 458, Hafford, SK, S0J 1A0
306-441-3119
* South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards, Watershed Manager:Kerry Lowndes, 99A 2366 Ave C North,Saskatoon, SK, S7L 2A4
306-343-9549
Each watershed stewardship group will be offering up to 50 free trees per person, farm, business, or organization. Tree distribution will begin mid-May to early June. Young trees absorb CO2 at a rate of 13 pounds per tree each year.
Trees reach their most productive stage of carbon storage at about 10 years at which point they are estimated to absorb 48 pounds of CO2 per year.