As the holiday season winds down, many individuals are faced with the task of dismantling Christmas decorations, including taking down festive lights and storing away ornaments. In Nova Scotia, two organizations are encouraging the public to donate their live Christmas trees for beneficial purposes.
Don Gunton, the director of the Pictou County Volunteer Ground Search and Rescue, mentioned that his team is utilizing donated Christmas trees for a training session on constructing winter shelters over the weekend. These trees are essential for practicing emergency shelter-building techniques in case of stranded situations, such as being isolated on an island.
Around 75 trees were donated to the organization, which volunteers will utilize for creating bedding material and insulation around the shelters, as evergreen wood is efficient in providing insulation. After the training, the tree parts will be dispersed in the area to facilitate natural decomposition, benefiting the local ecosystem by offering shelter to wildlife like snowshoe hares and birds during inclement weather.
In Cape Breton, Caroline Cameron from the Inverness Development Association shared that her organization repurposes donated Christmas trees to fortify the sand dunes along Inverness beach, safeguarding the shoreline against erosion. This eco-friendly initiative aims to slow down wind erosion by strategically placing trees on the windy side of the dunes to promote sand accumulation, a practice traditionally done by local fishermen.
Cameron emphasized the effectiveness of using Christmas trees for dune reinforcement, noting that previous efforts with a few trees have proven successful in holding sand and preventing erosion. By expanding the tree donation program, the organization hopes to significantly mitigate coastal erosion issues and protect key areas like the Inverness boardwalk.