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Wintertime Christmas Tree Recycling

by Traute Klein, biogardener

Christmas trees can become useful for the rest of the winter, in fact, for the next summer as well. In the winter, they can be chipped or used to line skating trails on the river.

Real Christmas Tree?

Is your family bringing a real tree in the house at Christmas? If you do, what are you going to do with it after Christmas? I hope that you and your parents will think about how your tree can become useful for the rest of the winter and maybe even into next summer. Here are some ideas which we use in Winnipeg, and you are welcome to try them as well.

Christmas Tree Chips

In Winnipeg, we can take the tree to a place where it gets chipped. We can either take the chips home or leave them to be used by other gardeners. What is left over gets taken to city parks and is spread around trees as mulch. I use chips instead of gravel on our parking lot in the backyard. That is where I park my truck.

Skating Trail

We also have a skating trail on the frozen Red River which gets lined with donated used Christmas trees every January. The trees are anchored with the snow which is cleared off the river trail, and in Winnipeg, we get lots of snow. How about you?

Fish Breeding

Right within city limits, we have a wetlands area called Fort White Centre. The old Christmas trees are thrown on the frozen ponds in the winter, and in the spring, they fall into the water. The fish living in the ponds lay their eggs in the shelter of the old trees and their babies hide there after hatching. I really like this use of the trees, because I love fishes.

Christmas Tree Poll

How do you feel about depleting the environment of live Christmas trees, and what are you doing about a tree for Christmas 2003? Pick the first answer which applies to your place.
We don't have any Christmas decorations.
We only use Christmas decorations other than trees.
We have an artificial Christmas tree.
We decorate trees on our property but not inside.
We have a real Christmas tree in the house.

See results of this poll



Related Stories

Summertime Christmas Tree Recycling
The continuation of the above story tells you how Christmas trees can become useful in your garden from Christmas time right through the summer.
Recycling Christmas Trees
Written for adults with more detail about making Christmas trees useful all year round.

© Traute Klein, biogardener