Christmas has been and gone for another year, and while the decorations might be up for while longer, many will be thinking about how to get rid of the Christmas tree.
In the UK approximately 250 tonnes of Christmas trees that could have been recycled are simply thrown out. Ogden Water Local Nature Reserve in North Halifax is trying to change this by recycling Christmas trees.
Dropping your tree off at Ogden is the perfect way to get rid of your festive fir. Staff and volunteers on site are happy to take unwanted trees off your hands, and any trees donated will help with onsite management. Those with roots will be planted up in various sections of the woodland to add to the diverse range of trees present and those that do not have roots will be used to create a wildlife hedgerow / safety barrier around the reservoir side.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Cllr Susan Press, said:
“Ogden Water was a pioneer in using Christmas trees in this way, and the trees that staff on-site receive are greatly appreciated. In the last two years nearly 4000 trees have been donated – around £133,000 worth – but each year they can still use more.
“Trees are laid around the edge of the reservoir, and give the whole place a boost of colour in our coldest and dullest months. As the seasons move on, the hedgerows provide a home for birds, insects, mammals and fungi, as nettles and brambles grow through the trees, creating a perfect habitat for wildlife.”
Once the trees are collected, there will be a number of community days on Tuesday 10, Tuesday 17 and Tuesday 24 January, where volunteers are needed to help staff to prepare the trees and lay them around the reservoir side. If anyone would like to join with these sessions then please get in touch with Calderdale Council’s Countryside Officer, Chris Sutcliffe on 07769 954956.
Christmas trees can be dropped off outside the classroom, opposite the visitor centre until the end of January. Plus, don’t forget that trees can also be recycled at any of the local Household Waste Recycling Centres in Calderdale. These trees will be used to make mulch and improve soils in parks and gardens in the borough.