Living Christmas trees restore local forest

›› Mark Dickerson

Christmas is coming! Many environmentally conscious people do not like the idea of using a cut Christmas tree. They would prefer to have a live Christmas tree that smells of the holidays.

A problem urban dwellers encounter is they have no place to plant the tree after Christmas. Those with limited space can still have a live Christmas tree. For the last three years GardenWorks Blenkinsop has sold live native Douglas Firs, delivered them for free to their guests, and picked them up after Christmas to be donated.

During the first two years the trees went to The Land Conservancy. Unfortunately TLC no longer has the capacity to plant the trees. So last year GardenWorks teamed up with Saanich Environmental Services’ Urban Forestry Strategy. The Urban ­Forest Strategy provides a long–term plan for achieving a sustainable urban forest. Thanks to this partnership, these native trees were planted in Mount Douglas Park.

This year, regardless of where these native live Christmas trees are ­purchased, if dropped off at GardenWorks after ­Christmas, they will be delivered to ­Saanich Environmental Services.

Why would Fernwood care about a ­program in Saanich? Because a large group of the people that participated in the ­program in past years have been from City of Victoria neighbourhoods. Communities like Fernwood tend to be environmentally conscious and have smaller yards.

Pictured above:

This Douglas Fir tree could be yours for the holidays. After Christmas, it will have a new home at Mount Douglas Park.