By SHANNON CAULFIELD
The Shamong Sun
Indian Mills Boy Scout Troop №47 held its second annual Christmas tree collection for the Scouts Martin Luther King Day of Service.
The project expanded from the first year, collecting approximately 600 trees, compared to 400 trees from the previous year.
“They gave the option of more pickup days. It’s good they gave more time to collect the trees,” said township administrator Sue Onorato, who worked hand-in-hand with the troop. “We didn’t have the crew out there, so it saved the township money.”
The troop had to change the process from last year, due to insufficient fundraising.
“One of the reasons we worked so hard this year is because of Atsion Day,” said assistant Scoutmaster Jeff Siedlecki, who noted the day is one of the biggestfundraisers of the year. “The day was considered a wash out, the event wasn’t canceled, but it did rain. We actually lost money.”
It was suggested to residents to provide a $15 donation to the troop by attaching it to the base of the tree.
“We asked for the money only because the money we raise goes to support the group as a whole,” said Siedlecki. “The money is necessary to keep the outdoor activities going.”
The money raised will help purchase camping equipment, assist in travel opportunities, as well as the ability to support local charitable events.
According to Siedlicki, only about 35 Scouts and parents attended and worked on the project in 2012. This year, 50 total volunteers, including parents, assisted in the job.
“The feedback has been great. We got individual requests, which ncluded the donation,” said Siedlicki.
One of the biggest changes to the project was the confidence the township had in the Scouts, noted Siedlicki.
“They were confident we could get the project done,” he said.
Collection of the trees will yield in the production of fertilizer utilized at golf courses and municipal locations.
“Top to bottom, the trees end up as fertilizer. It’s 100 percent reused,” said Siedlicki.
A co-composting facility for Burlington County will break the trees up and add it to the mixture of compost, which calls for wood chips.
“It was a great idea and we really commend the Scouts for taking on the challenge,” said Anne Moore, county recycling coordinator. “It’s especially challenging in Shamong, which has such a small support staff. They may have not been able to carry out the project themselves. It was great the Scouts were able to step up and work with the community.”
According to the National Christmas Tree Association site, it is much better environmentally to use a real Christmas tree. It is a natural agricultural crop, and it is good for the environment to recycle it after the holidays. Real Christmas trees are a renewable, recyclable, natural product grown on farms throughout North America. It’s a misconception that Christmas trees are cut down from the forest. Real Christmas trees are grown as crops, just like corn or wheat, and are grown on a farm. Once the trees are harvested, new seedlings are planted to replace harvested trees. These would not have been planted if trees hadn’t been harvested the previous year.
Fake Christmas trees however, are a non-renewable, non-biodegradable, plastic and metal product most often made in overseas factories, according to the site.
“It was a true cohesive effort, boys working, dads sweating and moms sweating. It’s a true essence of what Boy Scouts are about. It was hard work,” said Siedlecki.
