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RBG urges Hamilton to donate Christmas trees for conservation

After working off that turkey coma, are you finally ready to curb your evergreen Christmas tree? If so, note that the Royal Botanical Gardens is in need!

The RBG uses end of season trees to rebuild creek channels and protect the area’s natural fauna and flora. The tree barriers laid at the mouth of Grindstone Creek will rebuild creek channels that have disappeared ever since the invasive, non-native common carp made themselves known in the Hamilton Harbour.

The carp are destructive to the floodplain ponds and so rebuilding the channels is important to protect the habitat of marsh plants, native fish, and wildlife.

This RBG Grindstone Christmas tree project first took off in January of 2000 and has been an annual project since.

Trees make an ideal barrier to carp for areas with high water level fluctuations because it allows the natural flow of water and movement of organisms to pass through, but are packed down enough to prevent fish from entering. The trees also sit on top of the mud without sinking into it making them ideal in wet environments.

RBG reports that the trees are safe for the water in terms of acidity and chemicals. The trees will naturally biodegrade and leave sediment and reeds behind to build up banks of the creek.

Real trees can be donated at either 1200 Spring Garden Road in Burlington or at 335 Longwood Road in Hamilton (i.e. at Laking Garden or Princess point).

User @jamiemchardy clarified the directions stating “to get to the drop off point you need to drive to the main RBG Centre at 680 Plains Avenue West and go behind the building and on to Spring Garden Road and drive down to the marsh area, pass the parking lot on the left and drive over a bridge and there is a pile of Christmas trees there”.

RBG will accept trees up until January 14th. Remember to remove all Christmas decorations first and avoid wrapping them in plastic.

If you’re unable to bring your tree down to the drop-off points, the City of Hamilton will collect trees curbside during the week of January 7th to 14th for safe disposal (although it’s not guaranteed that the trees will head to RBG).

Have you donated your tree yet? If not, will you be bringing it to the RBG? Let us know in the comments!

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