A Shenstone garden centre is helping local people think about how they can reuse their real Christmas trees after the festive season.
Experts at Dobbies are urging buyers to repurpose their trees as a wildlife haven for small animals once the decorations have gone down.
The company’s horticultural director Marcus Eyles said finding a way to support the environment was a perfect way to give a new lease of life to Christmas trees:
“Cut real Christmas trees can be a great tool when it comes to creating a safe place for wildlife to shelter during the winter months, so we’re delighted to show people how they can make use of their trees once the Christmas decorations have come down.”
Marcus Eyles, Robbie’s
Steps include removing branches and then stacking them on soil or leaves under large shrubs, trees or hedges. As well as creating shelter, the needles will eventually decompose to enrich the soil.
The main trunk can also be cut down and stacked to create shelter for small animals.
Fay Vass, chief executive of British Hedgehog Preservation Society said:
“We’re delighted that Dobbies are shining a light on ways in which people can create a safe space for hedgehogs and other wildlife in their gardens.
“Hedgehog numbers are in decline, and they have recently been added to the UK Red List as a species that is vulnerable to extinction.
“We all need to play our part in improving their habitat and we hope people will take advantage of these tips to help create a safe place for wildlife in their gardens.”
Fay Vass, British Hedgehog Preservation Society