What Should We Do With Used Christmas Trees?

 


What Should We Do With Used Christmas Trees?

Lancaster’s Brilliant Idea: Turn Them into Natural Sea Defences

Every January, the same question appears on doorsteps across the UK:
What on earth do we do with the Christmas tree now?

Most end up:

  • Chipped into mulch

  • Left on the pavement for collection

  • Or, sadly, dumped illegally

But in Lancaster, used Christmas trees have been given a second life — not as waste, but as natural sea defences.

From Festive Focal Point to Flood Protection

Instead of sending trees straight to recycling, Lancaster has been using them to help slow erosion and reduce flood risk in vulnerable coastal and estuarine areas.

How does that work?

  • Old trees are stacked and anchored along shorelines

  • Their tangled branches trap sediment

  • Slower water flow reduces erosion

  • Over time, mud builds up and strengthens the shoreline

  • Habitats form for birds and invertebrates

It’s low-tech, low-cost — and surprisingly effective.

Why Christmas Trees Work So Well

Christmas trees are ideal for this kind of job:

  • Dense branches slow fast-moving water

  • Natural materials break down safely over time

  • No concrete, plastic, or steel required

  • Carbon already locked into the wood

This approach fits perfectly with the idea of working with nature rather than against it.

A Bigger Shift in Flood Defence Thinking

Across the UK, councils and environmental groups are increasingly turning to nature-based solutions:

  • Saltmarsh restoration

  • Tree planting upstream

  • Rewilding riverbanks

  • Natural floodplains

Christmas trees are a small but clever part of that bigger picture — turning seasonal waste into climate resilience.

What Can You Do With Your Tree?

If your local council doesn’t run a scheme like Lancaster’s, you can still help:

  • Use council recycling collections

  • Chip it for garden mulch

  • Check if local farms or conservation groups collect them

  • Avoid artificial trees going to landfill

And maybe — just maybe — ask your council:

“Could our Christmas trees help protect our coastline or rivers?”

A Very Seasonal Kind of Sustainability

It’s oddly satisfying to think that last month’s baubles and fairy lights could lead to stronger shorelines and reduced flooding a few months later.

A Christmas tree’s job doesn’t have to end in January.
Sometimes, it can become part of the solution.

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