Scoutrees is a Canada-wide environmental program designed to give all members of Scouts Canada the opportunity to demonstrate, through the planting of trees, their concern for the environment.

Because government cutbacks have increased the demand for seedlings, some Scout Councils have found themselves with fewer trees than they need or no trees at all.  Unfortunately this is the case for Northern Lights Council, as our supplier of the trees was unable to continue their free distribution of seedlings to the program this year.

We encourage you to seek out and continue the program through local contacts and suppliers where possible. Northern Lights Council will continue to look for partners for the program and appreciate any leads or contacts individuals or groups may have, please e-mail northernlights@scouts.ca or call 780-454-8561.

At Home

The results of this program, both immediate and long-term, will be a more beautiful Canada, with cleaner air, and a land which is less susceptible to flooding.

Trees produce the oxygen (O2) we need to breathe.
Two large trees produce about 400 pounds of O2 each year, which is the amount of oxygen that the average person consumes in a year.  
       
Trees sequester the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).
During photosynthesis trees take in CO2 from the air and convert it to the sugars it uses to grow and survive.   

Trees remove pollutants from the air. 
One large tree can absorb up to 10 lbs of air pollutants each year.  These include ozone (O3 — the primary component of smog),  nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), two major contributors to acid rain, and particulate matter (e.g. dust, soot, and smoke).  Each of these pollutants have been shown to have adverse health effects, including asthma, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Scout Brotherhood Fund

But wait ! Scoutrees is also a fundraising project. Although most of the funds stay in the community, a very important 15% is forwarded to the Canadian Scout Brotherhood Fund. These funds assist Scouting members in developing countries run self-help and community betterment programs that are adapted to local needs and conditions. Brotherhood monies contributed to these projects only pay for construction materials or equipment costs; no payments for travel by visitors are considered.

Scoutrees is a program concerned with tomorrow — a tomorrow which will be better because communities supported Scouts in this program today!

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." - Nelson Henderson