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All About Sustainable Christmas Tree Farms

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Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to... Read More

As we delve into the environmental consequences of beloved holiday traditions, it becomes clear that some of the ways we celebrate need to change. By no means does this insinuate the need to stop celebrating altogether; rather, we can become more mindful of how we do it.

One of the big questions when it comes to Christmas is the centerpiece of all Christmas decorations: the tree. What once seemed a relatively simple idea—boughs of evergreen to breathe a little life into the darks of winter—has become a big industry in the modern world and, as seems the case with big industry, a host of environmental issues.

The debate over Christmas trees has many facets. We can compare fake trees to real trees. We can consider Christmas tree alternatives altogether. Or, as with this article, we can devote ourselves to the real thing and look at Christmas tree farming. What makes a Christmas tree farm sustainable versus unsustainable?

The Problem with Conventional Christmas Tree Farms

Though Christmas trees are not food, they are a cash crop. As with most conventional farmed crops these days, growing Christmas trees on the large-scale generally requires huge amounts of biocides, in particular pesticides. Like food crops, they are planted in monocultures, which have their own set of environmental problems, massive petroleum-driven equipment is used to harvest them, and they are shipped vast distances to be sold, a holiday version of “food miles”.

The pesticides that are used to grow Christmas trees, of course, intentionally kill living creatures and have proven to be bad for people, too. According to Beyond Pesticides, these chemicals are linked to cancer, hormonal disruptions, neurological damage, reproductive defects, asthma, and organ damage. In other words, they are not really in the spirit of Christmas at all.

Christmas Tree Farms Aren’t All Bad

There are good things about Christmas tree farms, though. The crop they are growing is renewable and biodegradable. The trees, as with all trees, are valuable for taking carbon dioxide out of the air and adding oxygen. The trees can be good habitat for wildlife (obviously better if chemical-free), and they provide protection from soil erosion. Plus, two or three new trees are planted for every one that sells.

In contrast to monoculture corn or soybeans, growing trees is a much less destructive undertaking because they are perennial plants. Conventionally-grown annual crops suck up all the soil nutrients and require fields to be plowed multiple times a year, as well as all the harmful pesticides. Growing a Christmas tree to market size takes about seven years, which means the land has plenty of time to replenish itself between plantings. The decomposing of the shed needles actually builds up the soil life and, thus, soil quality.

Getting into a World with Sustainable Christmas Trees

Regarding pesticides, the notion of organic Christmas trees is a thing now, and of course, in the days of yore, it was the only thing. To become more responsible when we buy our real Christmas trees, we have to start thinking about the impact we are making with our purchase. Like with food, if customers create a demand for organic trees, the producers will find a way to provide them.

There is a growing number of Christmas tree farms taking the organic approach already. These farms are staying away from the harmful pesticides. They are finding ways to harvest rainwater and irrigate naturally rather than pulling from aquifers. They are making sure that the farms are regenerative, improving the landscape each year rather than depleting it. These types of farms are earning our purchases.

Selected the Right Kind of Christmas Tree

Of course, if an organic Christmas tree farm like this isn’t nearby, then the issue of sustainability gets mired in shipping and handling. The debate becomes more of an issue of a lesser of two evils, not the most Christmas-y of notions either. Of course, artificial trees—most of which are produced in China—will have many more miles to travel. With local Christmas tree farms, there is always the opportunity to ask the farmer about the practices used there. “Certified organic” is a label, but sometimes farmer practice chemical-free (or more responsible) growing methods without the certification.

Ultimately, the likely best environmental choice for choosing a Christmas tree is getting one from a nursery rather than a Christmas tree farm. This tree can be maintained in the pot as a house/patio plant for the rest of the year, or it can be planted somewhere appropriate after the holiday.