CHRISTMAS
TREES
A FEW FUN
FACTS
On the statistical front,
* Pennsylvania ranks #1 with 2,163 Christmas tree farms
* Natural tree purchasers paid an average of $40.60 in 2006
* Natural Christmas tree purchases (2006) were 84% pre-cut
and 16% cut-your-own
* According to the National Christmas Tree Association, in
2001 artificial trees accounted for 68% of all trees in
residences.
On the historical front,
* The first record of Christmas trees in America was for
children in the German Moravian Church's settlement in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Christmas 1747. Actual trees were
not decorated, but wooden pyramids covered with evergreen
branches were decorated with candles.
* The custom of the Christmas tree was introduced in the
United States during the War of Independence by Hessian
troops.
* The market for natural Christmas trees declined since the
1980’s. In the early 21st century nearly 98 percent of all
natural Christmas trees sold worldwide were grown on tree
farms
* The practice of cultivating evergreens specifically to
sell as Christmas trees dates back to 1901, when a 25,000
tree Norway Spruce farm was sown near Trenton, New Jersey.
CHRISTMAS
TREE OPTIONS
Let’s assume that you’ve already decided to select a
natural tree for Christmas. Yes, the eco-tip-happy folks
have a myriad options for you this season:
o Buy a certifiably organic tree (and bring it home on your
bicycle or Prius)
o Buy a tree cultivated within, say, 50 miles of your home
o Don’t buy a tree at all and live vicariously through the
trees of others
o Decorate a tree (or a house plant) on your property (or a
house plant)
o Make a tree as a crafts project with your children
o Don’t buy a tree at all and live vicariously through
other’s trees
o Buy a live tree and plant it after the holidays
Clearly, the first option is reasonable if you don’t have
to drive more than 25 miles from your house. And the last
option is poor advice if you live in a city apartment or
the tree is inappropriate for our regional climate and your
landscape. (Besides, live tree balls often weigh more than
50 pounds and are literally a pain in the back to move.)
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
There is some debate as to whether artificial or real trees
are better for the natural environment. The National
Christmas Tree Association provides a nice, if biased, case
for using natural trees and not artificial ones. Christmas
trees are an agricultural product and carry the attendant
issues of all mass agriculture. For instance, there are
trees grown with pesticides and herbicides versus organic
specimens; there are family operations versus large-scale
producers. The average Christmas tree receives roughly a
one-half ounce (14 g) of pesticide over its lifetime. On
average, an acre of Christmas trees produces the daily
oxygen for 18 people. The bottom line: Go for the actual
tree and try to support a small-scale sustainable grower if
you can. In the Delaware Valley certified organic Christmas
tree growers are difficult to locate and generally more
than a 50 mile journey.
For specific information on Christmas tree environmental
issues consult this link to Penn State’s Entomology
Department website http://ctrees.cas.psu.edu/related_links.htm
Artificial Trees. Artificial trees are
usually made out of PVC, a toxic material which is often
stabilized with lead. Polyethylene trees are less toxic,
though more expensive, than PVC trees. Over 85% of
artificial trees imported to the U.S. are made in China.
Artificial trees can be used for many years, but are
usually non-recyclable, ending up in landfills, or, in the
case of Lower Merion Township and Narberth, as fuel for the
waste-to-energy facility in Plymouth Meeting.
Natural Trees. Natural trees are used only
for a short time, but can be recycled and used as mulch and
for erosion prevention. Real trees also help reduce the
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during their
2-to 12 year growth cycle. Lower Merion Township and
Narberth collect natural Christmas trees after the holidays
and divert them to a chipping and composting facility for
beneficial reuse.
Another benefit of natural trees is that they are typically
grown as a crop, replanted in rotation after cutting, and
act as a wildlife habitat.
In some cases management of Christmas tree crops can result
in poor habitat since it involves use of pesticides.
Organically grown Christmas trees are available in some
markets, and as with many other crops, are widely held to
be better for the environment.
CERTIFIED
ORGANIC CHRISTMAS TREES
According to information obtained from the Pennsylvania
Christmas Tree Association and Green Promise there are no
known certified organic Christmas tree growers within 50
miles of Narberth. An up-to-date database of such
operations in all 50 states can be found at
http://www.greenpromise.com/resources/organic-christmas-trees.php
. A call to either of the two nurseries in Pennsylvania may
net some new operations that are marginally organic.
Spring Hills Farm
(http://www.springhillsfarm.org/)
Dalton, PA. (570) 563-1871.
Simmons Farm
(http://www.simmonsfarm.com/)
McMurray, PA. (724) 941-1490.
RETAIL
NATURAL CHRISTMAS TREES
“Cut your own” Christmas tree nurseries abound in eastern
Pennsylvania. A comprehensive list of nurseries, many
within 50 miles, can be found at http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/PAxmaseast.php
_______________________________________
Footnotes:
1 NCTA supports the use of natural Christmas trees whenever
possible. See http://www.christmastree.org/debate.cfm
2 Sidebottom, Jill R. Frequently Asked Questions about
Christmas Tree Farms and Pesticides, Mountain Horticultural
Crops Research & Extension Center, North Carolina State
University, October 30, 2006.
________________________________________
Thank you, Rob Schlaak, for
generously putting together this green guide to christmas
trees!