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Motivation from the movie An Inconvenient Truth has spurred action from Chisago Lakes Middle School students, who are working toward their goal of planting 3,000 trees by the end of the school year.

Under the direction and hard work from teachers in the Jaguar core - Pat Collins, Ed Wakefied, Katie Larson, Sally Lundholm and Diane Spychalla - the students were busy planting trees last Friday in celebration of Arbor Day.

Collins said the students watched the movie and followed it up by planting 110 trees that day at a local park. The trees were either donated or purchased at local nurseries, including donations from Meehans.

Collins also contacted Peggy Anne Montgomery from Bailey's Nursery to request tree donations. The nursery generously donated 20 trees that were planted last fall and Montgomery told Collins they would be happy to help again this spring.

"I told her I'd like to do something district-wide and she said, 'let's try statewide,'" Collins said.

Bailey's Nursery donated 100,000 seedlings to students across Minnesota, including Chisago Lakes. They also donated 20,000 seedlings to students in Oregon.

Collins said because of their donations, Bailey's Nursery was the largest donor through the national United Nation's Billion Tree Initiative this year. Montgomery was invited to speak at the U.N. on Arbor Day, but chose to stay in Chisago so she could help CLMS kids plant trees. The U.N. date was then changed, so Montgomery will still be able to speak to the delegates.

Collins said Arbor Day activities are a great way to connect some kids with the environment.

"I think global warming is a very serious issue that so many people just don't take seriously," he said. "My generation is inconvenienced by it, so they don't believe it. People tend to only believe in things that affect them."

Collins and the rest of the core teachers have adopted this slogan: "Your Life, Your World, Your Choices." He said planting the trees has taught the children they can help stop global warming and make a difference.

While he is proud of the district's efforts this year, he wants the Arbor Day program and conservation efforts at CLMS to continue to expand in the future.

"This is just a start, but it was nice that for one day, K through 12 had one agenda, working together with a common goal," Collins said.

Activities at all district schools including planting trees, picking up garbage, and learning about conservation and protecting the environment.

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