In hopes of combating global warming, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful has teamed with AT&T Real Yellow Pages to help plant trees in Reno and Sparks on Saturday for national Make a Difference Day.

Maia Dickerson, program director for the nonprofit organization, said Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful has paired with AT&T for the annual phone books for trees recycling drive. Dropping phone books off at select recycling locations allows trees to be purchased for area parks.

For every ton of phone books recycled at municipal locations, AT&T Real Yellow Pages with the assistance of the National Arbor Day Foundation will donate 17 trees to area parks departments.

“All AT&T phone books are made from recycled paper,” Dickerson said, adding that the event is more about helping the environment than anything else.

AT&T’s annual phone book recycling drive will take place from Nov. 14 to Dec. 31. Locations to drop off phone books to earn trees for the cities of Reno and Sparks can be located inside the cover of the new phone books.

Dickerson said AT&T along with the National Arbor Day Foundation has donated more than 200 trees for Saturday’s tree planting at area parks. The parks receiving new trees include Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, Hidden Valley Regional Park, Melody Lane Park and Dick Taylor Memorial Park.

The city of Sparks will have its donated trees planted along Sparks Boulevard.

In addition to Saturday being national Make a Difference Day, the tree planting kicks off Nevada Shade Tree Week, which runs from today to Nov. 1.

Gov. Jim Gibbon’s proclaimed the last week of October Nevada Shade Tree Week to bring awareness to shade trees in the state.

“It’s to encourage people to appreciate shade trees and raise awareness in Nevada,” Dickerson said.

Gibbon’s proclamation, signed on Sept. 15, states that shade trees are important not only for the community and community programs but also for the environment.

Dickerson said volunteers are still needed to help plant trees.

“Volunteers really do need to sign up with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful,” Dickerson said. “They can call or go to the Web site.”

To sign up to volunteer on Saturday or for more information, visit www.kmtb.org or call 851-5185.

To read Gibbon’s proclamation, visit http://gov.state.nv.us/PROCs/2009/2009-10-23-11-1_NevadaShadeTreeWeek.htm.