Conservation District collecting Christmas trees

COLFAX — The Whitman Conservation District is hosting a donation drive for used live Christmas Trees starting Thursday, Dec. 26 through Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the new office parking lot, 614 North Mill Street.

The Conservation District will have a large black dump trailer parked close to the office building, to use as a collection container and area residents are welcome to drop off their no longer needed used Christmas trees for free.

The trees will have a “second life” to be used in the Conservation District’s riparian restoration projects as part of the Beaver Dam Analogues (BDA) that are installed in area creeks and streams.

The BDA’s or post assisted log structures (PALS) are non-permanent imitation beaver dams, structures used to create mini wetland areas which reduce flooding and water flow speeds, in turn reducing soil erosion.

The structures also help create more variable stream habitats such as pools and riffles, beneficial to aquatic life such as fish and amphibians.

They also allow more water to soak into the surrounding soil to create “battery banks,” of groundwater to allow creeks and streams to continue flowing longer into the dry season.

The old Christmas trees will actively help to reduce erosion and improve soil moisture to benefit both local agriculture and local stream ecosystems.

“Please consider donating your old Christmas Tree to the Whitman Conservation District this post-holiday season,” said district employee Gretta Hodapp. “Not only will you be helping us out, you’ll be helping our local watershed as well.”