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The Ten Tree Challenge

Unitarian Universalist Faith in Action!

Here is a simple project that your congregation will really dig.
In true UU style, it is up to the individual congregation how to implement this effort. You can do it politically, spiritually, with fanfare or simplicity. Please join us by accepting the 10 Tree Challenge.

UU Ministry to Earth challenges your congregation to participate
in this national effort to provide trees for the next generation.

The word is going out, and UU congregations are accepting the challenge to plant and adopt ten new trees this year. Population growth and urban sprawl have resulted in tremendous tree loss, and cumulative harmful effects upon our environment. Join us in and lead the way to reverse the trend and replenish our planet’s tree population. If every UU congregations will plant 10 trees, the result will be 10,500 new trees. Most churches could easily plant and adopt 10 every year. Trees heal our environment in many ways. They slow global warming, improve air quality, provide shade, beauty, and much-needed infrastructure for wildlife.

Participating is easy. Here’s how it goes:

1. One person (it could be you) asks your congregation, or particular committee (RE, social action, etc.) to participate and accept the 10 tree challenge.
2. We provide you with materials; to copy and distribute. We’ll send you a sign-up sheet, to bring to your next meeting and a sample article for your newsletter. With a little information, you will be ready to help this project to take root in your congregation.
3. Get official endorsement. A church committee or board of directors votes to endorse and support the 10 Tree Challenge. This vote means that your group commits to planting 10 native or non-invasive trees this year. Members of your group adopt the trees and water them until they are established. A little web search will yield you a list of trees best suited for your region.
4. Several members sign up to participate. It usually works well if there is at least 1 person adopting each tree, but you can structure your project in whatever way suits you best. Choose a person as Project Coordinator or committee chair.
5. Make plans to get your trees. Small trees can be found easily for free or little cost. If you want to plant larger trees, you will need to raise a little money or find a nursery to donate. This is not as hard as you might think, especially if you are planting trees as community service. There will many people in your congregation that will be happy to donate a tree or contribute to a tree fund. If you anticipate having trouble raising funds or want to know how to get trees for free or inexpensively, contact us.
6. Inform your congregation and the press of your plans – especially if you are planning a tree planting ceremony. Tree planting is excellent public relations!
7. Plant the trees. This is where your creativity can come in. There are many ways to accomplish your goal; memorials, demonstrations, educational or youth action events, tree planting ceremonies. Trees may be planted wherever it’s legal; on church property, on members’ properties, or as community service in a park, inner-city neighborhood, in yards elderly or disabled people, or on a school yard with permission.
8. Members adopt individual trees, water and care for them until the trees are well established. The roots of newly planted trees must be kept relatively moist.
9. Your contact person now lets us know how many trees you have planted.
10. Your congregation will want to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of your tree planters, and of our national efforts.

This project began at the Community UU Church (CUUC) in San Antonio. CUUC's goal is to get 100 local groups to plant and adopt 1000 trees in 2006. To date, over over 60 groups have participated and 300 trees have been donated. Boy scouts and girls scouts, neighborhood associations, political and service organizations have planted trees in parks, schoolyards and private property.

If you want to help take this project a big step further, you can organize churches, neighborhood associations and many other organizations to follow your lead. Call for support!