Cut a Christmas tree and care for the environment

This weekend I've been working on the commons with some friends and one of the highlights of the day was for everyone to cut their own Christmas tree.

Here the trees are self seeded Scots Pine from the nearby plantations. If we don't cut them back the heathland would eventually turn into a dark and gloomy pine forest (for a while at least, if it didn't turn into a birch scrub first).





There is nothing wrong with a dark and gloomy pine forest in the right place. Germany for example! But we already have a lot of pine plantations around here and they tend to be very low in bio-diversity. Whereas the very rare lowland heath provides a habitat for many rare and threatened plants, birds and insects.

So we cut Christmas trees and did our bit for the environment, and if by doing so we can reduce the number of imported trees then even better.


The Scots Pine makes a fine Christmas Tree. The branches are a little more open than on a Spruce or Fir tree but we prefer that for hanging our decorations. Another advantage is zero needle drop. That's right Nil.

Apparently Scots Pine used to be a popular tree until the marketing machine made us lust after a different shape tree.



But there is no need to buy an expensive imported Nordman Fir when you can have a fresh cut native tree instead (Scots Pine is the only conifer native to England).

I was so busy that I forgot to get one for us. I will be back during the week to cut one for us and a larger one for the parish church.



If you live in the Guildford - Farnham - Haslemere area and want to cut your christmas tree and do your bit for the environment then you can do so at Frensham Ponds on Dec 14th