Travel North Carolina-Why Are There Christmas Trees All Over the Beach?

 A couple of weeks ago, I found myself at the beach.  It was a nice cool day as I walked along the shoreline. The water was beautiful, and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful day.  I did have one question, though.  What are all these Christmas trees doing on the beach? Mixed in with the white sand were Christmas trees partially covered by the sand.  

They have been putting recycled Christmas Trees on the beaches of North Carolina for more than 70 years, according to an article on wbtw news.  There is a great reason for this...it is a great way to combat beach erosion. 

Here is what a local park ranger said about this process...

“The sand starts collecting around the trees, it slowly starts to build up. Once that happens, other kinds of plants that normally stabilize the dune start to fill in things like sea oats and things like that,” park ranger Benjamin Fleming said. “Once that happens, it kind of helps build the beach up further and further out, protecting the beach as a whole.”  WBTW News

“We really need the trees to help with erosion control. We are still trying to rebuild dunes we lost during Florence,” Fleming said about the 2018 hurricane." Coastal Review

Here is a Youtube video about one of the tree events in NC

If you find yourself walking along the NC shoreline and you see a Christmas tree, you may say, "what the heck?"  But then you will remember, "I recall reading this is a way to fight beach erosion," and that will make you smile.  

If you are interested in participating in tree donation, check out Coastal Review

You never know what interesting things you will find as you travel.  I never expected to find Christmas trees lining the beach, but I did:-)

Happy Travels, Everyone.

KathieyV