Evergreen Revival: Using Recycled Christmas Trees to Breathe Life into Waterways
By The Christmas Tree Lab Research Team
Many rivers, streams and creeks in Ontario experience erosion, which can be caused by a number of factors, from agriculture and grazing to habitat degradation and development.
On July 12th, 2023, members of the Christmas Tree Lab joined together with Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) and other volunteers to repurpose Christmas trees that were upcycled from the holiday season to incorporate them into stream bank restoration.
To do so, we geared up in waders and headed to the Water with the Christmas trees and supplies in tow. The idea is to anchor the Christmas trees to the streambank with cables and crimps. By strategically placing the trees along the banks, it encourages natural debris to collect, thus creating habitat while narrowing the river which can increase its flow and depth. Preventing erosion is critical in these creeks, as erosion causes shallower depths, which can decrease Water flow and viscosity, ultimately altering the river’s natural ability to meander. This creates an environment sought after by cyanobacteria, which can increase the chance of algal blooms. Additionally, the shallower the creek, the warmer the Water temperature. Combined, these variables can devastate species that rely on cold, clear streams, such as trout and salmon. Additionally, as illustrated above, areas of concern (highest erosion) were identified to increase the success of the restoration project. Thus, the majority of the Christmas trees were secured in the S-curves that experienced, in this particular situation, the highest erosion caused by agricultural grazing.
On average, Sheldon Creek maintains a cool temperature of 8 - 12 degrees Celsius year-round, which is ideal for the spawning salmon and trout that swim from Lake Huron. These spawning events contributed to the need for the largest river restoration project currently happening in Ontario using the Christmas tree method. Currently, the upcycling Christmas tree method has been used on approximately 2-kilometres of the Nottawasaga River and Sheldon Creek, with an additional 800m to 1000m of the bank being restored this summer. It is important to note that this particular restoration activity can only be done during the summer months. This is because there is a high risk of interrupting the spawning season of cold-water, sensitive fish species during other seasons.
Many of the staff have been volunteering with NVCA for 20 years. Even though the Christmas Tree Lab members were new to this technique of securing a Christmas tree to a creek bank, the NVCA staff were knowledgeable, supportive, and excited to guide the volunteer groups through the entire process. We have great respect for their dedication to their restoration projects and their invaluable guidance and assistance to us.
In conclusion, we are so grateful to have been able to support the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and their efforts to recycle Christmas trees to prevent erosion and provide multiple ecological benefits to Sheldon Creek. We hope to continue supporting NVCA and other local Conservation Authorities in their efforts to build resilient ecosystems.
If you would like to learn more about NVCA, the Christmas Tree Lab, or the Christmas tree project(s), please reach out to us here.
Sources:
Engel, E. (2023). Volunteers use retired Christmas trees to make creek curvy again. Barrie Today. Retrieved August 25, 2023, from https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/volunteers-use-retired-christmas-trees-to-make-creek-curvy-again-7316139
Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. (2023). Events & Education. https://www.nvca.on.ca/Pages/Events---Education.aspx?Paged=TRUE&PagedPrev=TRUE&p_EventDate=20230715%2013%3A00%3A00&p_ID=623&PageFirstRow=1851&&View=%7BEF6CD44D-E8CF-44B5-9257-D29178C3129B%7D
Runoff and Erosion Protection & Additional Best Management Practices. (February, 2009). Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. Retrieved August 25, 2023, from https://www.nvca.on.ca/Shared%20Documents/Ag%20Runoff%20and%20Erosion%20Protection.pdf
Simmons, T. (2019). Discarded Christmas trees used to restore creeks and streams, protect fish in Halton. CBCNews. Retrieved August 25, 2023, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/halton-christmas-tree-conservation-1.4966309
Spawning Habitat | Salmon Sighting Experience Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2023, fromhttps://experience.arcgis.com/experience/f175e5c6f9ca487b80e795001e276a26/page/Spawning-Habitat/?views=16.-Canyon-Creek
UWaterloo Christmas Tree Lab Research Assistants July 2023 Sheldon Creek Restoration Event
Chinook Salmon and rainbow trout fishing is very popular in Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and many other places along the Nottawasaga River.
This documentary showcases how sports fishing benefits local municipalities, and how the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority is working to maintain and enhance these unique recreational opportunities.
For more information, visit nvca.on.ca