Recycle Your Christmas Tree

What are you going to do with your real Christmas tree after the holidays are over? I know that most communities offer curbside pickup of Christmas trees to their residents and I think that's a good option but not the only option. At least not where we live.

Christmas trees that are picked up curbside are turned into mulch. The mulch is then used in parks, at public buildings, and even given to residents of the community. I like this option because it keeps trees out of landfills and because the trees get recycled. But what if you don't want to recycle your tree just yet? I'm not talking about keeping it decorated and standing in your family room until Memorial Day, but about another way to keep it around for just a little while longer.

How about putting your tree in your backyard? After removing all the ornaments, lights, and garland, simply move it to your backyard where it will provide cover for birds. Deciduous trees lose all their leaves in the fall leaving nothing but bare branches for birds to cling to. While bare branches make it easier to see the birds, it does nothing to keep them sheltered from winter storms and to hide them from predators. The birds will take to the new tree in your yard and you can even decorate it with bird seed, popcorn, and cranberries which the birds will love. You may even find that birds you've never seen before stop by for a snack.

So these are really great options for your Christmas tree but if you live in the Chicagoland area there's another really creative option that I read about this weekend. Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn will take your tree off your hands and use it in their animal habitats. How cool is that?

Willowbrook Wildlife Center is an education and wildlife rehabilitation center located just outside of Chicago and is operated by the local forest preserve district. There are many animals on exhibit there and although I've never been there (that darn no dog rule), Mom has and loves it there. Among the many animals that call the Center home, the birds are Mom's favorite. There are permanently disabled bald eagles, songbirds, and even owls there along with many mammals such as foxes and raccoons. Some 80 native Illinois species live there and educate the public seven days a week. Animals that can be rehabilitated are nursed back to health and then released back into the wild.

The Center is looking for 30 Christmas trees to place into habitats of permanent and temporary residents. The trees will not only provide cover for the animals but also stimulation. The trees' new smells will provide a sensory feast for the animals. Some animals may just break off the branches and that's okay because this too is stimulation. Keepers may also hide food in the trees to arouse the animals' natural foraging instincts. This same practice is used at the zoo when scents are scattered in exhibits. Captive animals need to be enriched on an almost daily basis and the trees will do just that for them. Even wreaths and garland are being accepted. These will be used in the indoor songbird exhibits.

This is such a great idea that I'm asking you to check to see if there is a wildlife rehabilitation near you that will accept your tree. If there is, please consider taking your tree there. The rehab facility will appreciate it and you could probably visit your tree throughout the winter where your new friends will be enjoying it.