(Image: Submitted)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has a couple of tips if you want to find a new use for your Christmas tree.
Jensen Edwards, the national media relations manager for the conservancy, said in an interview that the organization suggests leaving your evergreens in the backyard. He said it is a way to help out the local wildlife.
“By putting it outside in the backyard, what you’re doing is – at a really tight time of year for habitat and for food for various creatures, including little songbirds – you’re giving them an extra little piece of shelter in your neighbourhood,” said Edwards.
Edwards said the average backyard has everything needed to support wildlife whether a person is conscious of it or not. By tossing the tree outside and filling it with seeds or pinecones, it gives birds a “fighting chance” in the winter.
In addition, Edwards said there’s an added benefit for gardens if you let the tree slowly decompose as we gradually head into the spring.
“Come springtime, it’s going to look pretty sparse and you can chop it up some more if you want and lay those branches around your garden to create a nice layer that will foster water retention,” he said.
For those in an apartment or who don’t have large backyards, you can tie the lower branches to a wreath and leave it on the balcony. Edwards said it still offers a safe space for birds to nest.
It’s just one of the Nature Conservancy’s ways to help nature in your backyard through the Small Acts of Conservation program. Edwards says there’s been an uptick in interest over the last couple of years.
He said Canadians see the opportunities as a way to contribute to biodiversity locally.
“It shows a shift in our mindset – from our yards in our homes being extensions of our living rooms to recognizing that we are a part of nature and nature is a part of us,” said Edwards.
