Fort Simpson (June 13/03) - No, the jack pines in Fort Simpson are not sprouting metallic limbs. But there is one that bears a licence plate.

Sean Whelly is hoping it's the first of many. He and Paul Guyot erected the premiere licence plate forest sign post on Saturday.

It's located between the Visitor Information Centre and the Seven Spruce Golf Course.

Standing over three metres tall, the "tree" has four arms pointing in various directions. Whelly figures it can hold 35-40 licence plates donated by tourists.

Through Fort Simpson's Web site, a promotion encourages tourists to bring an old licence plate to attach to the sign post. In return, the first 100 will get a souvenir NWT polar bear plate.

It's Whelly's brain child. He pitched the idea to village council a few months ago and they approved.

"I've had quite a few people, when they've e-mailed for (Fort Simpson) information packages over the winter, saying that they plan on bringing a licence plate," noted Whelly, a former economic development officer for the village.

The idea is a variation of the renowned Watson Lake sign forest, which has more than 50,000 road signs from around the world.

Located along the Alaska Highway, it grows by thousands of signs per year.

In Fort Simpson it's just licence plates that are welcome, and so far there's only one.

A tourist from Friendly Manitoba contributed it.

"We're getting them to sign their names and hopefully where they are from on their plate to make it a little more interesting," said Whelly.

"So they can leave a piece of their visit here in Fort Simpson."

He envisions an eye-catching grove of licence plate trees in the years to come.

"I'm thinking a tree every year," he said. "Over the years it will build up."