As the holiday season winds down, it’s time to pack away the Christmas decorations and figure out what to do with that dried-up tree. In Nova Scotia, two organizations are encouraging people to donate their real Christmas trees for a good cause.
Don Gunton, the director of the Pictou County Volunteer Ground Search and Rescue, shared that his team will be using donated Christmas trees for a winter shelter building training session. The trees will be utilized to create shelters to simulate real-life survival scenarios, such as being stranded on an island without immediate rescue.
Around 75 trees were donated to the organization. Volunteers will repurpose the trees by using their boughs for bedding and insulation around the shelters. Once the training is complete, the tree parts will be spread out in the area to naturally decompose and support the local ecosystem, providing shelter for wildlife like snowshoe hares and birds.
In another part of Nova Scotia, Caroline Cameron, a volunteer at the Inverness Development Association, explained that donated trees are being repurposed to fortify the sand dunes along Inverness beach. By placing the trees strategically on the windward side of the dunes, they help reduce wind erosion and allow sand to accumulate, thus protecting the shoreline and the Inverness boardwalk.
This practice of reinforcing sand dunes is not new to the region, as fishermen have been doing it for generations. However, the innovative aspect lies in the recycling of Christmas trees for this purpose. Last year’s trial with a few trees showed promising results in preventing erosion, and with more trees being utilized, there is optimism for significant erosion control along the coastline.
This initiative showcases a creative and sustainable approach to post-holiday tree disposal, benefiting both the environment and local communities in Nova Scotia.
