The Christmas Conundrum
By Envision Magazine on December 17, 2014
How environmentally responsible is chopping down a Christmas tree each year? Sustainably conscious Christmas celebrators ask themselves that question as they try to decide what to do about the tree. The solution, somewhat surprisingly, is not to reuse and recycle. Artificial trees may be reusable, but that doesn’t mean they have less of an environmental impact. The more sustainable option is a real tree from a local farm.
In Oregon, there are plenty of local tree farms from which to choose. Christmas tree farming is an important part of Oregon’s economy, bringing in $110-million in sales a year. Investing in eco-friendly practices is not always a priority for tree farms, as there is no guarantee such an investment will pay out economically. Oregon State University Extension’s Socially and Environmentally Responsible Farms (SERF) program aims to set new standards of sustainability and encourage farms to pursue more environmentally friendly practices. However, the program has not seen the interest nor participation from farms that was anticipated. Of the 700 Christmas tree growers in Oregon, only five have been SERF-certified, which indicates that an Oregon farm focuses on protection of biodiversity and minimal use of soil and water resources.
Sunrise Tree Farm in Philomath, Oregon is one of those five. Pat and Betty Malone farm 70 acres of Christmas trees. When they bought and took over the farm, they realized the previous owners had been “taking the easy way out—spraying everything,” says Betty. She and her husband decided that they would “leave the land in better shape than [they] found it” for their kids and grandkids. The Malones’ innovative use of ground cover has helped reduce both soil erosion and pesticide use. Originally, they planted the ground cover to keep the soil from washing away. Then they discovered that the ground cover gave a place for predatory bugs to live and reduced pest infestation. As a result, they were then able to use fewer pesticides.
In the Christmas tree industry, using fewer pesticides is quite the accomplishment. Conifer trees are vulnerable to a variety of pests and diseases, and they are often sprayed with pesticides or else they end up looking like a withered Charlie Brown tree. 99 percent of Christmas trees farmed in the United States are treated with chemicals during their growth. An ounce of pesticides are sprayed on the average Christmas tree by the time it is sold. With 6.4-million trees sold each year in Oregon alone, this adds a lot of harmful chemicals to the environment.
SERF certifies farms that meet certain performance measures in running an environmentally sustainable operation. The farms protect biodiversity, soil and water resources, and use integrated pest management techniques to support the environment. The Oregon Department of Agriculture evaluates the farms, OSU Extension Christmas tree specialist Chal Landgren and his colleagues consult, and the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association provides the certification. Attaining SERF certification can be a challenge. “The criteria are rigorous,” says Landgren, who helped to establish the SERF program. The farm plan process itself can be difficult, says Landgren, but soil erosion and integrated pest management techniques are two of the toughest areas for farmers.
Farmers may not be motivated to go through with certification because the program hasn’t drawn the consumer interest its founders initially hoped. In what Landgren calls the “Whole Foods market”–consumers are primarily concerned about sustainability and land use–SERF trees have been marketable from the start and have sold well. But in other markets, buyers aren’t willing to pay more for the product, which is a potential reason as to why more Oregon farms aren’t participating in the program.
Part of the problem is economic stagnation in the overall tree market. Demand for Christmas trees in the nation has stayed relatively stable. But in the past few years, Oregon growers overestimated the demand. “We had overplanted for the existing market — 1-to-2-million trees over what the market could sustain,” says Landgren. Prices subsequently dropped too low to sustain a number of growers and many got out of the business.
For the Malones, economic benefits are not the only concern. “It’s different when you’re not basing your decisions on, ‘how much money can I make from this rotation?’” says Betty. Instead, the Malones have been thinking of long-term consequences over short-term benefits. “It’s been a labor of love.”
Following the Malones’ mindset could lead to better growing practices in the industry. To be more sustainable Landgren says “the best thing growers could do is plant the right tree on the right site at the right time.” When the same sites are used for Christmas trees year after year and rotation after rotation, soil erosion is a problem, especially with the upland sites that are often used for Christmas tree planting. Often Christmas tree farmland is not a “prime agriculture site” says Landgren, but other crops can be grown on the land.
Christmas tree farm land can have positive effects on the environment. During the 7 to 10 years it takes for them to grow to a sellable height of six feet or taller, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A study by the National Christmas Tree Association showed that each acre of Christmas tree farms can produce the equivalent amount of oxygen for the daily needs of 18 people. Christmas trees can also provide habitat for wildlife, reduce soil erosion, and protect water supplies. Natural trees don’t need to be put into landfills since they can support a number of alternative uses: they can be turned into wood chips, mulch or compost after the holiday season.
Artificial Christmas trees, on the contrary, do not serve as many environmental benefits. One study found that an artificial tree must be re-used for at least 20 years to leave the same ecological footprint as a natural tree does. Artificial trees are made out of PVC, a petroleum-based plastic. Often made abroad, they must be shipped long distances and thus leave a large carbon footprint. Once discarded, artificial trees do not decompose well in landfills.
Consumers can make the choice between artificial and real trees, and conventional and SERF-certified farms. Their priorities will drive sustainability progress in the industry. Those who buy a real tree can continue a holiday tradition, as well as support the health of the local economy, the environment, and sustainable farms.
