Recycle Christmas Trees To Benefit Wildlife

The presents are gone and the ornaments are up, but what should you do with that live Christmas tree?

As opposed to sending it to a landfill, Van Buren County Ag Extension Director Chris Binkley said the tree can has many more environmentally conscious uses.

“They make some awesome wildlife habitats and some fishery habitats,” Binkley said. “And even at the end fo the day they can keep erosion down by putting them in gullies. That’s a whole lot better than putting them in a landfill.”

Binkley said birds will tend to use the leaves to create nests and other creatures will hide among the foliage or even use it to keep warm. He said if you have a fishing pond, you can dump the tree to help fish create a good space to lay eggs.

Binkley said it is best to get rid of the tree sooner than later, as a dried-out tree can be a major fire hazard. He said if interested in recycling trees, reach out to local state parks or extension agents and they can direct you in to the right next steps. He said you can even ask your neighbors if they have any interest.

“I was an Ag teacher in Van Buren County, and I used to take my students over to help the rangers at Fall Creek Falls State Park,” Binkley said. “We would sink the Christmas trees in the lake at Fall Creek Falls.”