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HELP Tree Program

                        HELP International     

 Seeking Five Rural Municipalities Per Year to Participate

in

Free Tree, Plastic Mulch & Drip Irrigation System

November 1, 2023

HELP International Shelterbelt Program is seeking 35 RMs across the province over seven years from fall 2024 through 2030 who wish to participate in a free tree, free plastic mulch film and free drip irrigation program.  Based upon a first come first served basis HELP and its donors hope to assist five RMs per year who can identify five capable landowners in each of the RMs who agree to carry out successful tree planting by proper land preparation, planting 500 two year old tree seedlings including hybrid poplar, willow varieties and evergreens with plastic mulch and drip line on each property. In addition the same landowners will each be provided 50 free habitat trees to plant on their property including buffalo berry, sea buckthorn, chokecherry and dogwood. The RM itself will be given the incentive of 150 free saplings of choice along with free plastic mulch pads and drip line for any project within its authority area i.e.: hamlets, parks, roadways or municipal facilities.   The five landowners and RM must however commit to provide at their own cost:

  1.  All power trains, equipment and personnel for pre-working the land, for pulling tree planter and plastic mulch applicator, and for post-planting inter-row cultivation three times per year for four years following tree planting/mulching.
  1. All personnel for tree planting, plastic mulch film application, drip irrigation system installation, twice per year manual pulling weeds coming through tree holes for four years.
  1. Request from HELP free trees for manually replacing any trees that did not survive establishment from HELP for two years following tree planting.  Coordinate Weyburn pick up or pay shipping for free replacement trees.  
  1. If requested, HELP will provide an intensive two to three hour on-site assessment and planning session at any property at a cost of $500 payable by the landowner.  Alternatively HELP provides an hour of free telephone consultation for any landowner or RM requiring the same.  HELP’s website also has answers to hundreds of frequently asked questions including shelterbelt design options.
  2. Those RMs or landowners who wish to hire HELP or its affiliate organizations to provide contract installation services for trees/mulch/drip line installation can request a quotation for such services separate from the above mentioned free tree/mulch/drip irrigation program. In such case HELP or its contract partners would quote only for installation services and not for the cost of trees, mulch and drip line systems.   

Quality of Products

  • Majority of seedlings will be 2 year old seedlings i.e.:  poplars : 12 to 18 inch; willows: 15 to 36 inch etc
  • Plastic mulch film: 3.2 mil mulch is heaviest produced in tree industry & only available through HELP
  • Drip Line: 7/8 inch is largest volume available in drip line industry on prairies making it appropriate for both small and larger projects & longer distances at sustained water pressure. This punch and pop in emitter line is laid on top of the plastic mulch after tree planting. Free irrigation system comes with disk filter and all required fittings within the tree lines and for manifold construction.  

Interested RMs should fill out and send in the attached Request for Participation/Declaration of Intent by scan/email to HELP by December 30, 2023.  In the document, you will be asked to indicate the year and season (spring or fall) that you prefer HELP to deliver the free trees, mulch and irrigation supplies to the landowners you have identified (as well as supplies for the RMs own 150 sapling program).  You will be asked to indicate your 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th choice of year/season.   Applications will be processed and accepted in the order that they are received.  Only 5 RMs will be accepted for each year of programming on first come first served basis.  Only first 35 RMs to apply will be considered for the seven year program (and all this is contingent of course on funding).

Note that HELP is applying to the federal government’s Two Billion Tree Program for funding and is contributing cash and in kind contributions of its own.   A third donor is contributing the habitat trees. HELP will give acceptance to those RMs who have applied first who have identified five landowners who are considered highly capable of ensuring successful multi-purpose tree establishment including but not limited to shelterbelts, habitat development, stream margin buffers on cultivated lands, buffers between organic and non organic lands, giving back to nature forest blocks, dugout surrounds  etc.   HELP provides free trees for landowner replants for two years following the initial planting.   

HELP will provide partner RMs and landowners knowledge of the most leading edge advancements in anti drought tree planting strategies including deep planting, heeling/sealing, and water well/funnel construction at each tree.

HELP will work with five RMs per year beginning in fall, 2024

Note that evergreens (spruce and pine) are the only trees that do not establish well in a fall planting.  Other trees sometimes even do better in a fall i.e.: October planting.

Ultimate program delivery is contingent upon federal government funding.  Funding decision for current proposal intake will occur in July 2024 but proposals must be in shortly.  

If you require further information please email [email protected] or call 306-861-0814 with your questions.

Rodney Sidloski, CEO

HELP International