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Planting a tree for the planet in the Shuswap

Shuswap Climate Action gives away free seedlings April 23 to celebrate Earth Day
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From left, Amy Vallarino, Will Oswald, Beth Savage and Julia Beatty, volunteers with Shuswap Climate Action, help give away seedlings to the public on April 23 at Uptown Askew’s parking lot. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

Shuswap Climate Action did its part to celebrate Earth Day by adding more green to the world.

People walking through the Uptown Askew’s parking lot between 11 and 3 on Saturday, April 23 had a choice of free Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, spruce or cottonwood seedlings.

“Since preserving green spaces, protecting habitat and planting more trees helps to mitigate climate change, our group is giving away free tree seedlings that have been generously donated by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s Kalamalka Forestry Centre. It may be symbolic, but planting a tree is a feel-good way to do a small but positive action to address climate change,” said Julia Beatty, chair of Shuswap Climate Action.

Earth Day, an annual event that began in 1970 and is now held around the world, took place April 22, but the seedling giveaway was held Saturday, April 23 to reach more residents.

“The day is meant to bring awareness to the many environmental issues that threaten our natural world such as loss of biodiversity, destruction of old growth forests, plastic and pesticide pollution, and climate change. Many organizations and individuals use Earth Day to demonstrate their solidarity, take action, and send a message to politicians to do more to protect the planet.”

Read more: VIDEO: Sicamous marks Earth Day with groundbreaking for bio-heating project

Read more: Rotary to green up Canoe Beach Park for Earth Day



martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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