Rock around the Christmas tree, then recycle it
- col-karen-gotter
- December 15, 2020
- 820
Despite the distinct feel of holidays in 2020, many people in Holmes County and beyond have kept one beloved tradition alive: inviting a freshly cut spruce, fir or pine into their home.
These trees can come from far and wide, but we’ve seen the popularity of cut-your-own trees from a local farm on the rise. And as we search for ways to keep our spirits and traditions vibrant during this season, a family excursion to get a tree is one way to celebrate in a healthy way, supporting local businesses, and as my colleague John wrote last week, boosting an industry rooted in conservation and environmental sustainability.
If you’re like me, it’s really hard to put away the decorations after the comfort and joy the venerated tree brought during weeks of anticipation and preparations for the holidays. But as those needles start to fall and you have to admit it’s time to say goodbye, would it ease the bittersweet feelings to know your Christmas tree can take on a new life? If yours is one of the over 20 million households that purchased a natural Christmas tree this year, we’d like to encourage you to think outside the trash can when disposing of the tree.
A tree can be recycled in many ways. One of the simplest is to bring it out to your yard, where it will provide a windbreak and shelter for over-wintering birds, and as it breaks down over the following year, insects, amphibians and small mammals will take advantage of the shelter before it decomposes. If you have the space to think a little bigger, this tree can become part of a larger brushpile that you can add to throughout the year, creating a “condominium” of sorts for local small wildlife.
If you have lots of space and, of course, the time, energy and inclination, these habitat structures can be part of a whole system to enhance wildlife habitat on your property. Creating networks and corridors is an effective way to encourage a variety of species up and down the food chain to move in to (or at least move through) your property. Conservation programs through NRCS including EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program even include brushpiles as a conservation practice that is eligible for cost-share as part of a conservation activity plan.
With this in mind, Holmes SWCD is staging a Christmas tree recycling program this year. While there are other useful ways to repurpose your used trees, we are working with a pack of Webelo Scouts to create wildlife shelter at the retired Holmes County landfill. These Scouts have demonstrated an interest in working and playing in the great outdoors, and a major focus in their Scouting curriculum has to do with wildlife conservation. What better way to nurture that conservation ethic than have them be hands-on in projects that encourage community service, recycling and waste reduction and offering a helping hand to the species around us?
Our office will be one location where your retired Christmas tree can be dropped off, starting Dec. 26 and lasting to Jan. 11. Remember, we are only accepting natural Christmas trees, and all decorations must be removed. Trees should be left in the back parking lot area under the building overhang (signs are posted). Scouts will collect trees on Jan. 9 in locations around the county including Killbuck, Nashville and potentially a few more sites. Stay tuned for more information regarding the collection and contact our office with any questions about this program or other opportunities to promote wildlife habitat on your property.
Holmes SWCD is located at 62 W. Clinton St. in Millersburg and can be called at 330-674-2811. Its Facebook page and website at www.HolmesSWCD.com are regularly updated to share information on this and other conservation opportunities in the county.