We explain why a real Christmas tree is the best choice.
The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) estimates around five million real Christmas trees are bought each year in the UK. Most trees are UK-grown and the most popular variety is the Nordmann Fir. But still, recent statistics suggest that almost half of all trees sold are fake.
So, what's the environmental impact of a real or fake tree?
What are the differences between real and fake Christmas trees?
Fake Christmas trees
Most fake or artificial trees are made in China. They are made from plastic, PVC and metal, and then shipped overseas. They aren’t recyclable. When they’re inevitably thrown away, they end up in landfill. All this adds up to a big carbon footprint.
According to the Carbon Trust, a two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg. That's more than ten times that of a real tree that’s burned after Christmas. You’d need to re-use an artificial tree 10 times to offset its carbon footprint. Yet, it’s estimated that fake trees are used only four times.
A two metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg, more than ten times that of a real tree that’s burned after Christmas.
Real Christmas trees
Real Christmas trees take around 10-12 years to grow to the most popular size of 6 feet. During that time, they provide a habitat for wildlife and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
If this year's tree ends up on the rubbish heap, it will have a greater environmental impact, as it will decompose and release methane. This is less if it's used for wood chip or it's burned.
Local authorities often offer collection and chipping services. Woodchip can be used for mulching, or trees can be composted and used as a soil improver. Burning is a particularly effective way to dispose of a used Christmas tree. It reduces potential emissions by 80 percent over those that are thrown out. Another option is to re-use your tree as a home for bugs and birds in your garden.
What should you look for in a real and sustainable tree?
When getting a real Christmas tree, make sure:
it's a Forest-Stewardship Council (FSC) certified tree
it's organic
it's local
Forest-Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
Christmas trees can suffer from pest problems, so pesticide use is often high. Look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certified trees. These are grown in a responsibly managed way and minimise pesticide use.
Buy local and it reduces the miles travelled and supports the local economy.
What's more, the import of live plants from abroad can put our own UK plant species at risk by introducing pests and diseases. Choose a tree with a Grown in Britain certificate. It guarantees your Christmas tree won't have been imported. Find your nearest Grown in Britain seller here. Always ask about the environmental credentials of the tree you’re thinking of buying.
Also, you don’t need to worry about deforestation when purchasing a real tree. Most Christmas trees are grown as a horticultural crop and aren’t felled from pre-existing forests.
Learn about Magic of Foresters - the UK's first organic Christmas tree nursery, certified by the Soil Association!
Nestled in the Kent countryside, the nursery was founded by Alan Hitch in the 1960s. The farm hosts 12 different varieties of hand-pruned Christmas Trees, from traditional Norway Spruce to striking blue Colorado Silver Fir and the exotic Korean Fir.
When Alan retired aged 89 in 2016, his son Julian, and Julian’s wife Toni, took over the business, bringing their own passion for life, ecology and wellbeing to the trees, and sharing the experience with the public. Julian explains ‘I wanted to share the beautiful experiences I had with the trees as a child. By giving access to the farm, each person can become connected to the whole growing cycle of the tree’.
Growing with nature
They use organic chicken waste fertiliser once to twice a year, and the rest of the time it’s simply a matter of weeding, mowing, pruning and digging up the old stumps. Most of this is done by hand tools - last year the team dug up over 1,500 stumps by hand! This helps keep the intrinsic soil structure rather than using diggers, which can upset the ecological balance.
Growing organically requires a bit of discipline and labour but essentially enables you to take more of a hands-off approach to let nature create its own thriving environment
Julian - Magic of Foresters
Pesticide use: ‘Pesticides, whilst seeming helpful, actually create more of a long-term problem,' says Julian. 'Just like we need good diversity of bacteria in our gut to be healthy, a farm also needs a natural balance.'
'Chemicals don’t discriminate well, wiping out natural biodiversity including ladybirds and wasps. Ironically, these act as natural predators to the aphids which attack the trees, making our trees more vulnerable. The breeding cycle of the predators is much longer than that of the aphids, so you can quickly become dependent on the use of chemicals - the aphids reproduce again quickly, with no natural protection. When you combine this with use of herbicides, you are also destroying the natural habitat of their predators, weakening the ecosystem further.’
Making sustainable Christmas tree choices isn't just about where it comes from, but where it goes next! Find out how you can re-use your tree to benefit wildlife and the environment after the Christmas celebrations this year
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