Posted on Monday, January 5, 2009
Treecycling is, by any common-sense definition, turning a common holiday decoration into a useful product that rescues it from a sanitary landfill. We've been doing that for 11 years at the Field Station. Since 1988 we have chipped or placed as animal shelters over 1,100 real Christmas trees, equal to about 20 tons of landfill space!Â
According to "Earth 911" 98 percent of real Christmas trees are grown on farms throughout all 50 states and Canada. They are a renewable, recyclable resource and are planted to be harvested just as corn and/or pumpkins are cultivated for a harvest. For each Christmas tree harvested, up to three new seedlings are planted in its place, depending on farm size and current field rotation. Young trees in their rapid growth years have a high rate of photosynthesis and thus produce more oxygen than older trees. Each acre of a tree farm provides the daily oxygen requirements for 18 people. In 2008, over 60 million new seedlings were planted by Christmas tree farmers all over North America.Â
The local Kiwanis Club purchases trees grown in Western Pennsylvania and sells them as a service to the community and as a fund-raiser for projects oriented toward children. As Kiwanians say, "Children are Priority-ONE." The trees this year were grown at E-Mar Acres in Salsburg, Pennsylvania and were hand-selected for quality. With the passing of Christmas, phase two of this project kicks in: collecting and chipping trees for composting at ¾¨Ó㴫ý's Field Station. The Annual Winter Chipping Party will be scheduled on a Saturday in February. This event will bring together friends of nature from the college and community who wish to escape the winter blahs and do something physical and useful!Â
Christmas trees, no matter where they were purchased, may be deposited at the Field Station, 937 Fayette-New Wilmington Road or in the parking lot near the dumpster of the United Methodist Church, corner of Mercer and East Neshannock in New Wilmington. Trees in the Borough of New Wilmington may be left at the curb and they will be picked up for recycling at the Field Station. A cliché to remember: a tree is a terrible thing to waste!Â
Clarence Harms, Director
Field Station
