Dobbies encourages people to recycle their Christmas trees to support wildlife

Swindon's Dobbies garden centre is encouraging people to think sustainably as it marks ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ (4 December 2021).

Dobbies’ annual ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ takes place on the first Saturday of December and marks the day most shoppers visit their local garden centre to pick up their real cut or pot grown Christmas trees.

This year, the garden centre retailer has launched a new range of real Christmas trees for every space at its Swindon store, making it easier to find the perfect tree no matter the style or budget.

From small trees like the pot grown Picea ‘Conica’, ideal for compact spaces, to the slim grade Nordmann Fir, perfect for tight spots, to the impressive Premium grade Nordmann Fir for large rooms, Dobbies is aiming to stock something for every home, so shoppers can do Christmas their way.

This ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’, Dobbies is encouraging shoppers buying real trees to think ahead about how they can reuse their Christmas centrepiece once the festivities are over.

The garden centre has announced its top tips on how people can repurpose their cut Christmas trees to create a wildlife haven for small animals and insects to shelter in during the winter months and reduce waste in the new year.

This is part of the #SustainableDobbies campaign, in which the retailer raises awareness of sustainable products and practices for customers and supporters.

Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles said: “Choosing a real tree is one of the most-loved Christmas traditions, and on this year’s ‘Bring Your Christmas Tree Home Day’, we want to encourage people in Swindon to be mindful of how they can recycle their cut real trees once the festivities are over.

“Cut real Christmas trees can be a great tool when it comes to creating a safe place for wildlife to shelter during the winter months, so we’re delighted to show people how they can make use of their trees once the Christmas decorations have come down.”

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of British Hedgehog Preservation Society added: “We’re delighted that Dobbies are shining a light on ways in which people can create a safe space for hedgehogs and other wildlife in their gardens. Hedgehog numbers are in decline, and they have recently been added to the UK Red List as a species that is vulnerable to extinction. We all need to play our part in improving their habitat and we hope people will take advantage of these tips to help create a safe place for wildlife in their gardens.”

Marcus has outlined a step-by-step guide on how people can reuse their real cut Christmas trees to make a wildlife haven in their gardens in the new year:

1. Remove the tree from your house carefully to stop any loose needles from dropping. Marcus recommends wearing thick gloves to protect your hands.
2. Using a good quality pair of secateurs, starting from the top remove each branch as close as possible to the main stem.
3. Stack the branches together four or five pieces high and place onto soil or leaves under large shrubs, trees or hedges.
4. Repeat this process until all the branches are used. This will provide a great shelter for small animals and insects to protect them from the worst of the winter weather. Marcus points out that the needles and branches will breakdown over time to produce organic matter than will enrich the soil.
5. For the main trunk of the tree use a pruning saw to cut into 30cm lengths, which can then be stacked to make a mini log pile which is a great habitat for wildlife to shelter in.

 

Dobbies is also encouraging the children who attend its Little Seedlings Club to take the lead in creating wildlife shelters.

Ethan Firth, Dobbies Little Seedling Ambassador, said: “Christmas is a time to create fond memories and what better way than to keep a memory of Christmas whilst considering the environment and being sustainable all at the same time!

"I plan to re-pot our family pot grown Christmas tree and reuse for next Christmas, and the cut Christmas tree in my bedroom I’m going to recycle and make a hedgehog shelter.”

More information about Dobbies can be found at dobbies.com

More information about the British Hedgehog Preservation Society can be found at britishhedgehogs.org.uk