Want to put your old Christmas tree to good use than just recycling it? Here's an unusual way to reuse it — donate it to the Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro.
The organization, which rescues abandoned, abused or confiscated big cats such as tigers, lions and other select carnivores, will be collecting trees over the next two weekends — Jan. 7-8 and Jan. 14-15 — at 1940 Hanks Chapel Road in Pittsboro. (For directions, go to www.carolinatigerrescue.org.)
Why are they collecting these trees? Christmas trees are very fragrant and serve as a form of enrichment, meant to stimulate the animals' interest and activity. Animals will wrestle with them, scratch them, rub and sniff them, and in general will have fun with the new "toy" in their habitat.
Here's another unusual reuse for your Christmas tree: If you're heading to the coast anytime soon, Fort Macon in Carteret County uses Christmas trees to build dunes, and has been doing so for 30 years. Fort Macon Superintendent Randy Newman says the area gets about 1,500 trees a year.
The trees are staked and tied along the dune line in areas that have been depleted. The tree limbs collect the sand, replenishing the dunes. How clever is that?
