Lutsen residents, Carrie and Mike Nicklow, are pleased to announce the establishment of their new 501(c)(3) non-profit, Let's Plant Trees. This venture was inspired by their shared commitment to reforestation and addressing the pressing issue of climate change.

The idea took root last year when the Nicklows purchased 500 tree seedlings, with the intent of planting them on their own property. As spring approached, they realized that successfully planting such a large number of seedlings would require assistance from their community. Rather than limiting the project to their own property, they decided to distribute the majority of the seedlings to friends and neighbors along the North Shore, and included instructions to recipients to ensure successful plantings. The response to the seedling giveaway was overwhelmingly positive, and led Carrie and Mike to the idea of launching Let's Plant Trees.

Let's Plant Trees is built on a straight-forward yet powerful concept: we can all combat climate change by planting more trees.  Complementing other climate management strategies, tree planting is a logical step toward absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Arbor Day Foundation reports that a mature tree can absorb about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, while releasing oxygen in return—that is the equivalent to absorbing the emissions from burning 4 gallons of gas. It's clear; planting trees is good for all of us, and our future.

The primary mission of Let’s Plant Trees is to make tree seedlings accessible to homeowners and property owners for small-scale planting projects. Additionally, Let's Plant Trees plans to collaborate with other organizations to contribute to larger-scale reforestation efforts. Let's Plant Trees offers guidance on species selection, sourcing tree seedlings, and provides comprehensive planting instructions, advice, and volunteer support.  They recognize the need to increase our planting and reforestation efforts and believe that, with the right information and planting support, they can boost tree seedling success rates.  This is why they offer detailed, practical, and timely information on tree species that can thrive in a changing climate, and guidance on when and where to plant them.

In May, Let's Plant Trees formally established itself as an entity, and in August, they achieved 501(c)(3) non-profit status from the IRS. Recently, they obtained approval to list the charity on Give to the Max Day, a Minnesota initiative that supports non-profits in their fundraising efforts. You can find Let's Plant Trees' organization page at www.givemn.org/organization/Lets-Plant-Trees.

As a nascent non-profit, Let's Plant Trees is concentrating its efforts on Cook County, Minnesota, with expansion plans as their operations grow. The Fall 2023 fundraising season, in collaboration with Give to the Max Day, serves as a "soft launch." During this period, they aim to raise funds to purchase tree seedlings in bulk for Spring 2024 planting. Contributions made at this juncture are pivotal in enabling them to secure additional seedlings at more favorable pricing through larger quantity purchases. This, in turn, will facilitate the planting of a greater number of seedlings next spring, benefiting Cook County residents and the environment.

Beyond Spring 2024, Let's Plant Trees is committed to expanding its capacity to source and distribute live tree seedlings, engaging in collaborative reforestation efforts, collecting data on success rates by species and location, and staying at the forefront of developments in forestry and climate change research.  Carrie and Mike are eager to embark on this journey with Let's Plant Trees and invite others to join them in making a positive impact on the planet, one tree at a time. Those interested in acquiring tree seedlings, volunteering or collaborating with Let’s Plant Trees can reach out via email at [email protected].