Twinkling with lights and laden with tinsel, a real pine Christmas tree proudly standing in the living room is a sight to behold. Source: ABC News
Living among thousands of hectares of pine plantations, chances are at least a few residents in South Australia’s south-east have already sized up their perfect roadside Christmas tree.
But would-be law breakers can leave the axe and their plastic tree in the shed this year, thanks to a festive giveaway from the region’s largest forestry company, One Forty One, and environmental organisation Natural Resources South East.
On December 15, One Forty One will gift about 150 trees to the public from its three depots at Mount Gambier, Nangwarry and Mount Burr.
If you miss out on a tree in that offer, the company also allows people to get a permit and select their own, from among the thousands of smaller trees that grow wild under their mature counterparts, in 80,000 hectares of pine plantation within the Green Triangle region.
“The public are welcome to come and get themselves a Christmas tree from One Forty One’s estate,” Forestry SA conservation and recreation manager Troy Horn said.
Mr Horn, who manages the permits for One Forty One’s estates, said the public was also doing the company a small favour by providing a use for the smaller trees.
“These are trees that would be going to waste if people didn’t take them,” he said.
At least a dozen permits, which are available on the Forestry SA website, have already been issued.
As for those who decide to skirt the permit system, staff are on the lookout for people who may have seen the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation movie and were thinking about “pulling a Griswold”.
“We still have wardens that police the forest, and One Forty One staff keep an eye out,” Mr Horn said.
Make use of a feral tree environmental organisation Natural Resources South East will also be giving away free Christmas trees at an upcoming farmers market, with a take-home message.
Part of management officer Aidan Laslett’s role is to raise awareness of pest plants in the region, and the trees he will be giving away — fast growing evergreen Aleppo pines — may be beautiful but are also native vegetation invaders.
“They are declared woody weeds,” Mr Laslett said.
Growing wild in patches around Millicent and the south-east, the Aleppo pines are similar to Radiata pines, but are a slightly lighter green.
About 40 of the trees will be given away at the Mount Gambier Farmers Market on December 17 to raise awareness of the impact the trees have on the environment.
“It is an opportunity to make use of a resource that would otherwise be simply left on the ground to decompose,” Mr Laslett said.
