It's a Fact The SPLIT program is an urban forestry project that fosters responsibility, stewardship, and an awareness of planting and caring for trees.

To achieve these objectives SPLIT has partnered with the City of Saskatoon, Riverdale Kiwanis Club, SOS Elms Coalition and one participating school per year to present a series of environmental activities. The process begins by inviting speakers to the chosen school to present on relevant topics ranging from botany, ecology, soil science, insects and diseases on trees and climate change.

A student committee is then invited to learn skills in landscape design that they use to create a plan for their schoolyard. Following this, a forestry expo is held where all students enjoy interactive displays, including everything from pruning demonstrations to planting seedlings. The final event is held in June where the school and local community come together to put the landscape plan into action!

In 2006, the SPLIT program won the Gold Leaf Award from the International Society of arboriculture for outstanding landscape beautification activities. In the face of funding difficulties, the SPLIT program has been successful in engaging students in eco-action, and it is now expanding outside Saskatoon with the City of Albert.

The SPLIT program will continue to take on a leadership role in the promotion of urban forestry. In the process, the program will positively influence all participating students to understand and help nurture their local ecosystems, while providing an inspiration for many more communities throughout Canada.