<h2>2015 Challenge</h2>
<h4>What is “Trees for You &amp; Me”?</h4>
<img class="alignleft" title="trees_u_me" src="http://aecetia.net/gws/aazk/wp-content/uploads/trees_u_me.jpg" alt="trees_u_me" width="180" /> Trees for You &amp; Me is a friendly competition among AAZK Chapters.  It was launched by former PBI Ambassadors as a fundraising challenge to plant trees.
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<h4>How does the Tree Planting Work?</h4>
Local AAZK Chapters compete with each other to raise funds. Each Chapter then has three options on how to apply the money they raise:
<ul>
<ul>
	<li>They can use the funds in their own communities, by planting on the grounds of their own zoo or aquarium or by supporting a local tree-planting project. (If selected, this option should be coordinated with the <strong>Acres for the Atmosphere</strong> program).</li>
	<li>They can donate the funds to <a href="http://Savenature.org">SaveNature.org</a>, an international tree-planting organization that works with tropical rainforests. With this option, the Chapter should talk about the importance of rainforests in combatting climate change as part of the fundraising process.</li>
	<li>They can donate the funds to Polar Bear International in support of <strong>Acres for the Atmosphere</strong> projects.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Whichever option is chosen, the funds must be spent on planting trees or on a related greening effort. The effort must also include an educational event that invites others to take part in additional conservation behaviors that reduce CO². Planting trees in urban areas has distinct benefits, but the most important is that it brings together in a green activity.  Community engagement - c<em>itizens working collaboratively, through inspired action and learning, to create and realize bold visions for their common future</em> - is a critical step in creating movement to stop our dependence on fossil fuels and stop global warming.
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<h4>How will the Challenge Work?</h4>
<ul>
<ul>
<ul>
	<li>AAZK Chapters should register between October 1, 2014 and January 1, 2015 by sending the following information to <a href="http://acc@polarbearsinternational.org">ACC@polarbearsinternational.org</a>: the coordinator's name, the AAZK Chapter name, the affiliated zoo or aquarium, and the phone number and email address of the coordinator.</li>
	<li>PBI will send communications about the Trees for You and Me effort to each Chapter's coordinator throughout the Challenge.</li>
	<li>Chapters will report their results to PBI; periodic emails from PBI will announce the standings.</li>
	<li>Chapters may follow the progress and results on the PBI and AAZK websites.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
Following the fundraising effort, Chapters will report on how they used the funds.  This includes sharing the effort with others through PBI's SOS Community Page (<a href="http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/saveourseaice">http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/saveourseaice</a>) and by reporting through the Chapter re-chartering process.
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<h4>When will Trees For You &amp; Me start?</h4>
The Challenge will begin October 1, 2014.  The last date to register is January 1, 2015.
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<h4>When will Trees For You &amp; Me end?</h4>
The Challenge will end at midnight MST on March 2, 2015. Results will be reported shortly thereafter when all the donations have been recorded by PBI.
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<h4>How can chapters raise and gather Challenge funds?</h4>
Each AAZK chapter can determine the way they want to raise money. Projects in the past have included bake sales, polar plunges, miniature golf events, garage sales, silent auctions, fun runs, spaghetti dinners, car washes, recycling programs, a night at a local hangout that allows a 50/50 raffle, and more. The actual cash handling procedures will be the same you follow for other campaigns for your Chapter at your institution.
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<h4>How will the winners be awarded and announced?</h4>
We invite teams to report the amount of funds raised to PBI on December 31, and March 2, 2015.

PBI will report on the status of the different chapters through an email sent to the AAZK Chapters and their coordinator.

AAZK will report on the status of the different chapters on its website and through social media.

PBI will provide $25 towards the purchase of a bush for the team leading the charge at the half-way point on December 31, 2014.  PBI will give a $100 prize to the winning chapter to plant a tree. (A plaque is up to the institution.)
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<h4>What are the prizes?</h4>
First place is awarded to the team with the most funds donated by <strong>Midnight MST</strong> <strong>March 2, 2015</strong>, and were reported to PBI no later than March 4, 2015. The winning team receives a native  tree to plant in a public location with a purchase value from a commercial nursery of no more than $100.

In addition,  challenge prize will be awarded to the team with most  funds donated by <strong>Midnight MST December 31, 2014</strong>  and reported to PBI by January 5, 2015, That  will receive a native bush to plant in a public location with a purchase value from a commercial nursery of no more than $25.
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<h4>How do I start?</h4>
<ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<ol>
	<li>Find a group and become a champion.</li>
	<li>Make plans for events and strategies to raise the funds over the course of the Challenge, which officially runs from October 1, 2014 - March 2, 2015. (Although the competition begins on October 1, 2014, we'll do a second push and close the registration on January 1, 2015 since so many Chapters participate only in the spring.</li>
	<li>Define roles and responsibilities including:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<ul>
	<li>procedures for handling donations for your Chapter and Institution</li>
	<li>reporting  to AAZK and PBI during the course of the Challenge.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 150px;">Good luck on your efforts.</p>

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<h4>How will reporting work?</h4>
Each participating AAZK Chapter is responsible for following National AAZK National’s requirements for reporting on funds raised for conservation as outlined in the re-chartering packet.
PBI requests that each AAZK Chapter report about the planting activity with a photo and description on PBI's new community, the PBI community page, SOS Community Page.
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<h4>What is an example of an  <a href="http://www.acresfor%20the atmosphere.org">Acres for the Atmosphere</a> project?</h4>
The Acres program involves tree planting, learning, and FUN! Participants plant trees in local communities and also help educate the public about the benefits of tree planting to counteract a warming climate. Funds donated will support grant money for Acres for the Atmosphere plantings. For more information, contact Heather or Marissa at  <a href="mailto:Acres@pbears.org">Acres@pbears.org</a>.
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<h4>What other projects are eligible for tree planting?</h4>
Your Chapter or Institution may participate in other conservation programs where tree planting is an important component. Saving tropical rainforest habitat, for example, impacts species and global climate change. AAZK recommends <a href="http://www.SaveNature.org">SaveNature.org </a> for tropical reforestation projects.
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<h4>How Does  Planting Trees Help Polar Bears?</h4>
Trees act as “carbon sinks” that absorb CO2 from the air. They store this carbon in roots, trunks, stems, and leaves while they grow and in wood products after they're harvested.

Reducing the build-up of carbon in the atmosphere is necessary to reverse climate change. Polar bears depend on the sea ice to hunt, breed, and in some cases to den. Less carbon in the atmosphere means better conditions to retain arctic sea ice and improve polar bear habitat and survival.

Conservation actions that reduce the production of greenhouse gases are the most impactful efforts to save polar bears. Planting trees is one of the few tools that we have to sequester carbon. Saving tropical rainforests is even more impactful for sequestering CO2. As an individual and group you can make difference:
<ul>
<ul>
<ul>
	<li>Don’t buy products with palm oil</li>
	<li>Purchase shade-grown coffee</li>
	<li>Eat less meat or purchase local meat rather than meat produced in deforested tropical rain forests</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
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<h4>For More Information Contact:</h4>
<strong>Trees for You and Me:</strong>

Christy <a href="http://christy.mazrimus-ott@aecetia.net/gws/aazk">christy.mazrimas-ott@aecetia.net/gws/aazk </a>or <a href="http://christy.mazrimus-ott@czs.org">christy.mazrimas-ott@czs.org</a>

AAZK: Wendy Lenhart, Conservation Committee (Oversight) at Wendy.Lenhartaecetia.net/gws/aazk or lenhart.wendy@phillyzoo.org