PHOTO: Chickadee visiting a home-made birdseed ornament.
If you’re interested in trying something new this year, or just too drained to drive your tree to a recycling location, consider repurposing your Christmas tree for wildlife.
Many species of birds and small mammals find refuge and warmth in brush piles during the winter months. Your tree can provide this winter protection plus offer food for some species as well. Lay your tree down in a location near your tree line or garden where it can naturally decay and provide organic matter for your soil as it decomposes.
Another idea is creating a “living bird feeder.”
Birds need extra calories in the winter to stay warm, and you can help. Prop your tree up against a fence or put it in a planting pot near your bird feeder. Then place tasty bird suet or pinecones filled with “butter bark” on the tree and hang them as ornaments.
We recommend the spicy kinds of suet, as squirrels do not like these much. Sprinkle bird seed on the ground around the tree to attract finches and juncos. You will also attract Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Blue Jays, Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, and Carolina Wrens to your tree.
Last but not least, decorating these pinecones and edible ornaments is a great activity to keep busy, while staying connected to nature in this hard year.
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