Christmas trees are an
agricultural crop which are harvested one time each year. The
major difference between Christmas trees and other agricultural
commodities is the length of time that it takes to produce a
mature product. Christmas trees require a period of eight to
fifteen years before developing into a marketable tree.
The majority of Christmas
tree growers have developed evergreen forests from what was once
land planted in corn, wheat, hay, etc. Through these Christmas
tree plantations, soil erosion has been substantially reduced
and a habitat for wild life has been developed. Also, one acre
of Christmas trees provides the annual oxygen needs for sixteen
(16) people. So, our plantation alone provides oxygen to accommodate
well over one thousand (1,000) persons.
You will hear someone say
that Christmas trees should not be cut because it is reducing
the oxygen production of the country. However, as evergreen trees
get older, they produce less and less oxygen. Many old, large
trees actually use more oxygen than they produce. Additionally
most Christmas tree growers replant at least two trees for every
one harvested.
Unlike plastic, artificial
or fake trees, real trees do not use a non-reproducible product
such as oil or coal from our land for development. Real trees
are biodegradable and can be used for bird feeders, mulch, etc.,
while fake trees will eventually wind up in landfills where they
will never deteriorate.
Also, real trees are grown
and sold in the United States and are seldom imported from some
foreign country; thereby helping the economy of our nation.
All in all, real Christmas
trees are much more environmentally friendly than are plastic,
artificial, fake trees.
