December 10, 2008

Daniel Jones, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus and former chairman of the Department of Biology at UAB, is available to discuss Christmas tree recycling.

Natural Christmas tree recycling and the most environmentally friendly options for tree buyers to consider. Jones says valuable nutrients and other potential environmental benefits of discarded trees are lost when they end up in landfills either by drop-off or city trash services, because trees do not decompose properly in landfill conditions. Jones recommends three recycling options that will benefit the environment as well as people who use the land for outdoor activities and personal enjoyment:

• Tree Chipping - "Cutting your Christmas tree down into wood chips and spreading those chips around your lawn or at a local park will enrich the soil and help keep plants and green areas thriving. Chips also help planted areas hold in moisture which reduces the need for watering come the summer and eases the seasonal strain on that valuable resource," Jones said.
• Shoreline Stabilization- "A Christmas tree when placed along the shore of a local lake or water way acts as an important buffer where tides and water flows can strip away land. This buffer helps stabilize and prevents erosion helping to stabilize the ecosystem," Jones said.
• Fish Habitat Creation - "Trees break down much more slowly once submerged in water. The tree can then provide decades worth of shelter for fish populations. Fish will congregate there and thrive in those areas, and some populations would be able to escape predation, which keeps fish abundant, in turn, keeping our lakes and water ways healthy," Jones said.