Michiganders buy millions of cut Christmas trees. After the holidays, there’s the question of the best way to dispose of them.
Often people think about putting them in lakes or streams to become habitat for fish spawning. In fact, in decades past, that was recommended. That’s no longer the case.
“What we've found is that those trees don't provide as great of habitat because the branches are really thick and dense. And, also because we have some concerns about the potential for pesticides to leach out of the trees and pollute our waters,” said Joe Nohner, an inland lake biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
He added that because most Christmas trees are softwood, they decay fairly quickly in the water. If Christmas trees are dumped in the same place year after year, the rotting vegetation begins to fill up the lake.
As a side note, Nohner said it's better to use hardwoods from felled trees. That will provide habitat for fish, turtles, and frogs for many years.
Nohner said if you do plan to put your Christmas tree in the water, he suggests you check to see if you need a permit from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
“I would recommend consulting with EGLE before placing any structures, just to make sure that you’re on the safe side in terms of what’s considered public waters. Their definition is broader than what some people think.”
DNR and EGLE suggest other uses:
- Consider using the tree as a brush pile to provide habitat for wildlife such as rabbits.
- Mulch the tree and use in a garden or in landscaping.
- If you have a friend with chickens or goats, the chickens will use it for roosting and the goats will chew on it.
- Some municipalities will recycle Christmas trees, using the mulch for trails and landscaping.
However, if pesticides were used to treat your tree as it was growing, mulch for trails is probably the best option.
You might not think to ask if pesticides were used on the perfectly shaped tree that you just found. Nohner suggested that might be your only opportunity to find out.
“Probably the best way to tell would be to ask the person that you’re buying it from,” Nohner said.
Even then, a retailer might not know. Going to a Christmas tree farm where they’re grown would at least give you a direct line to the person who would know.
