Once the holidays are over, it’s time to take down the tinsel, dismantle the Nativity scene, put away the garlands, lights, hanging Santa Clauses and other Christmas decorations and ask yourself the same question as every year: Where the hell to store all those decorations? And above all, what do we do with the tree, that fir tree that is more than a meter high that we bought in a nursery back in December and that has spent weeks presiding over our living room loaded with balls and flashing LEDs?
In Madrid they have decided to go ahead to that question by making something clear: Christmas trees should not be thrown into any container and of course they cannot be abandoned on the street. It’s not even right take them to the mountains to plant them there, as nice as that sounds. There is another solution.
What has happened? That (with permission from Vigo) Christmas is over. And that means that thousands and thousands of Spanish homes are dedicating themselves to the laborious task of dismantling their nativity scenes, taking down tinsel, putting lights, snowman figurines and hanging Santa Clauses in boxes and, above all, dismantling their trees. Those who have opted for artificial fir trees (or they have rented them) will have no problem, but things change in homes with natural trees.
What do we do with the tree? The big question. At the end of the day, a tree should not be treated as just another piece of urban waste. This same week the Madrid City Council remembered it with a clear message: “Its abandonment on public roads or its deposit in unauthorized containers has a negative impact on both the environment and the proper management of waste.”
Even Ecoembes recognize that the issue raises doubts and encourages transplanting as long as the trees are real, alive, and “possible.” If not, remember that they must be taken to a clean point, just like synthetic ones.
Should we replant it then? Not so fast. To prevent people from giving a second life to their trees in the mountains, on Wednesday (just after Kings) the Community of Madrid issued a statement in which he remembers that, no matter how bucolic it may seem, this solution is a bad idea and is prohibited.
The reason is simple. As remember the regional government, the usual thing is that at Christmas the houses are decorated with fir trees of the variety Abies albanative to the north of the peninsula. If we dedicate ourselves to replanting them without criteria in other regions, with other ecosystems, we run the risk of ending up damaging the local flora.
Is it prohibited? The Community’s warning is very clear. In his note he recalls “the prohibition of replanting Christmas fir trees in natural areas of the region” and cites the Forest Lawamong other state regulations. “As they are species foreign to the environment, they can cause imbalances in ecosystems, be a source of pests or diseases and increase the risk of forest fires.”
Instead of looking for a clearing in the mountains to plant our Christmas tree, the regional body encourages us to contact the town councils and use their collection services. The goal: that our fir tree be relocated to an urban park or garden, where it will grow safely without “putting biodiversity at risk.”
Click on the image to go to the tweet.
What to do in Madrid? In reality, Madrid residents have it very easy. On the same day that the Community warned of the prohibition of planting fir trees in the mountains of the region, the City Council of the capital announced his campaign Christmas tree collection. During the remainder of January, families who want to get rid of their fir tree will be able to deposit it at two points: one is in the El Retiro Stove Nurserythe other in the Country House Nursery. Whoever wants to use the service will find them open every day, morning and afternoon.
Are there conditions? Yes. The campaign is not designed for any type of tree. The idea is for Madrid residents to deliver their fir trees alive, with a cohesive and moist root ball. In fact, the technicians will not collect dry specimens, with loose branches or those in which the root ball is so broken or without roots that it is impossible to recover it. In case there was any doubt, the Consistory clarifies that the collection points are for natural trees, not plastic.
“This initiative aims to promote responsible habits among citizens, especially during periods of high consumption such as the Christmas holidays, as well as reinforce the culture of recycling and respect for the environment once the celebrations are over,” duck the organism.
Is it something new? No. Last year the City Council already launched a similar campaign during which it collected 597 fir trees after the holidays. Of them, 168 were saved, 28.1%. The idea is that those lucky specimens, which arrive in a condition good enough for gardeners to care for, end up being replanted in green spaces. When choosing a location, the technicians take into account that they are not native species so as not to damage the environment.
Trees in poor condition suffer a different fate. The City Council staff takes them to the Mijas Calientes Plant Waste Transformation Plant to subject them to a composting process and create an organic fertilizer that is later used in the parks, gardens and other green areas of the capital.
The idea, the City Council clarifies, is to “close the cycle of use of plant waste.” In the last campaign (2024-2025) that was the fate of 429 fir trees. Typically, 25 to 30% of the collected fir trees are recovered.
Images | Madrid City Council and Frames For Your Heart (Unsplash)
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