Where do the iconic trees go after the holidays?
Have you ever wondered what happens to the famously massive Rockefeller Center Christmas trees that adorn one of New York City’s most recognizable public spaces each holiday season? An article by Eric Lagatta in USA Today has the answer, and it’s surprisingly relevant to Planetizen readers: “For the past 16 years, lumber milled from the trees has been donated to Habitat for Humanity and used to construct new homes.”
“At the end of the season, the Christmas tree is taken down and cut into large pieces, which are transported to a mill in New Jersey where the initial rough sawing is done, Habitat spokeswoman Erika Bowditch told USA TODAY. From there, the pieces are brought to a landscaping company to be dried in a kiln, milled and planed until they are soft and smooth.” The lumber is then sent to a Habitat project to be used in construction.
The trees have been used in homes in five states. “In most cases, the Christmas tree lumber is sent to a Habitat affiliate in the state where the tree was grown.”
FULL STORY: What happens to Rockefeller Christmas trees after they come down? It’s a worthy new purpose.
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Journal of the American Planning Association