SASKPOWER & HELP INTERNATIONAL PARTNER FOR ENVIRONMENT

SaskPower Shand Greenhouse is providing a $25,000 donation to HELP International to support environmental conservation projects in Saskatchewan.

"SaskPower strives to achieve a balance between providing safe, reliable, cost-effective power, and protecting the environment," Minister responsible for SaskPower Frank Quennell said. "The SaskPower Shand Greenhouse provides the corporation with a unique opportunity to partner with environmental organizations like HELP International to find solutions to environmental challenges."

HELP International's Carbon Sequestration and Phytoremediation Project involves the planting of high water use trees around landfills and sewage lagoons in urban communities to decontaminate soils and waters before they reach rivers and underground aquifers. Communities participating in this project include Weyburn, Arcola, Stoughton and Radville.

HELP International is a federally incorporated charity that works in partnership with government, fellow charities, local community based organizations, and the business community in the development of environmental projects.

In addition to the $25,000 financial contribution, SaskPower Shand Greenhouse has donated 65,000 tree seedlings to this project. Once mature, each tree planted as part of the project will absorb approximately 4.5 kg of carbon dioxide each year, which will help offset the greenhouse gas emissions created at SaskPower's coal-fired generating facilities.

Other HELP International projects supported by SaskPower include:

- The Souris River and Farm Protection Program, which resulted in the planting of 265,000 trees along the Souris River and Long Creek Watersheds to assist in the protection of natural habitat, enhance water quality and control soil erosion. Forty per cent of the trees used for this project were donated by the SaskPower Shand Greenhouse.
- The Zero Waste Program for Schools, which brings students from schools across the province to day camps at the International Development Theme Park near Weyburn, where they learn about a zero waste lifestyle and participate in tree planting for HELP International's environmental projects.

Since 1991, the SaskPower Shand Greenhouse has distributed millions of tree, grass and shrub seedlings to community and non-profit groups for use in land reclamation and other environmental planting projects.

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For More Information, Contact:

Larry Christie SaskPower Regina Phone: (306) 566-3167