Live Christmas trees benefit the Environment:

• Christmas trees are grown on a farm like any other crop. For every tree removed from the soil, at least one is planted in its place.
• Christmas tree farms serve as a natural buffer zone to prevent erosion and contamination to and from adjoining streams and waterways. This means tree farms play a vital role in protecting surrounding eco-systems that, in turn, benefit many living creatures ... including insects, animals and people.
• Used Christmas trees complete nature's own natural recycling program by being turned into mulch. When placed on the soil surface around other trees or home gardens, they serve to promote healthy growth by keeping soil warm, retaining moisture during dry periods and, as they decompose, provide valuable nutrients.

"The Coalition serves to educate the nation -- informing consumers that Christmas trees are grown on farms and play an important role in protecting and maintaining the environment," says John Schudel, Coalition co-founder and Holiday Tree Farms president. "It is important to dispel the myth that Christmas trees deforest America. The opposite is true."

About the Coalition of Environmentally-Conscious Growers
Holiday Tree Farms, Inc., of Corvallis and Yule Tree Farms, of Canby are the nation's largest and fifth largest Christmas tree farms located in Oregon. They have come together to form the Coalition of Environmentally-Conscious Growers, a not-for profit organization serving to educate the public on the importance of live trees and to promote environmentally sound growing practices. The Coalition of Environmentally-Conscious Growers recognizes those growers that best exemplify sustainable growing practices. At least a dozen growers are expected to be members in the first quarter of 2008.