Valley Boy Scouts are set to retire this season’s Christmas trees and help the environment at the same time.

Scouts from Troops 425, 466, 701 and 706 will be canvassing neighborhoods in Snoqualmie and North Bend, collecting trees on Saturday, Jan. 10, and taking them to North Fork Enterprises in Snoqualmie.

“Last year there were hundreds of trees dropped off for chipping,” said Snoqualmie Recycling Coordinator Kirsten Weinmeister, who manages the city’s tree recycling program. More than 800 trees were delivered by the Scouts to be recycled in early 2008.

Tree recycling in Snoqualmie has several benefits, according to Weinmeister. It keeps trees out of the landfill, with the chips being used for fuel by North Fork Enterprises, and it also supports higher participation and programs for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.

Scout troops delivered flyers to homes throughout Snoqualmie in mid-December. To participate, residents need to attach the flyer to their tree with a rubber band and leave it in the driveway by 8 a.m. Jan. 10. A donation of $10 is suggested with checks payable to Troop 425.

The program is sponsored by the Snoqualmie Parks Department, North Fork Enterprises and the King County Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Program.