Many homes across the country are getting ready for Christmas, and for a lot of people, that means putting up the Christmas Tree. But did you know that what has become a memorable tradition for many families, can also support the environment, economy and local farms?
That’s right, local food isn’t the only thing on the menu that the province promotes — this time of year, think local for your tree too!
Hundreds of Christmas Tree Farms across the province provide you and your family with the opportunity to harvest an authentic, aromatic tree. The trip outside the city limits will get you out in nature, while also bringing some greenery back home for the holidays. And with that fresh, crisp smell to fill your home, you can know that Ontario Christmas trees are all-natural, environmentally-friendly and 100% biodegradable.
647 Christmas tree farms in the Greenbelt and across the province work to sustainably produce more than 1 million Christmas trees each year, and then those tree farmers plant the same number of seedlings for future harvests.
We can thank them for the fresh air, too. Every acre of planted Christmas trees produces enough daily oxygen for 18 people, and our Christmas tree farms cover 14,715 acres of land across the province.
And while you’re putting up your local tree this year, know that Ontario’s Christmas tree industry is not only beneficial for the environment, it also employs thousands of workers in the farming, transportation and retail sectors, and generates $11.3 million in sales annually. In 2015, the province exported 22,000 Christmas trees, valued at $472,760.
This past weekend, Ontario celebrated the first anniversary of its official Christmas Tree Day, which celebrates local trees and the hardworking farmers that help Ontarians deck the halls with the fresh greenery every year.
“Christmas trees turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, provide jobs for people in our province and are a central part of many family homes during the Christmas season. This year, when you purchase a sustainably grown local Christmas tree, you’re not only creating wonderful memories – you’re also helping to support the environment and your local economy,” says Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Minister McGarry was joined by Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal to commemorate Christmas Tree Day, which was on December 3rd this year, at Chickadee Farms in Puslinch, where they promoted the benefits of locally-grown trees.
If you’re looking to spruce up your home with an all-natural local tree, but you are unsure where to start, find out Which Christmas Tree is Right for You with this online quiz. Then find a Christmas Tree Farm near you with this online map.
It’s Farm-to-Living Room. Happy Harvesting!