Zoo farm appeals for tree treat for animals after online mix-up
AZOO farm which was inundated with Christmas trees after it was mistaken for a zoo in America is asking people to once again give their festive firs for the animals.
Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia put out an appeal on its social media channels in December last year asking for people to donate their used trees.
The appeal was spotted by people living in the Bristol area, who mistakenly thought it was an appeal by Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall and the post was shared widely on social media.
As a result the farm was given more than 1,000 trees in just a few days for their animals.
Now the zoo is asking people to do the same this year and donate their trees.
The zoo farm has been using recycled Christmas trees for animal enrichment and food for their animals – including African elephants, Andean bears and the lions, for several years.
People can drop off their Christmas trees at the zoo farm at its drive through drop-off area from now until January 24.
Larry Bush, managing director of the zoo farm, said: “Last year was a phenomenal success with over 1,000 Christmas trees donated to the zoo.
“Our animals loved the experiences – we planted a whole forest of trees for our African Elephants to explore, our Meerkats loved climbing through the branches of Christmas trees and our African Lions rolled around enjoying the scent of the pine needles and rolling around on the trees.
“We were able to chip any excess trees to use as mulch around our 100-acre site.”
This year, the zoo aims to build on the success of last year and has partnered up with North Somerset Council to raise awareness of the recycling initiative to help reduce Christmas tree wastage.
Any excess Christmas trees which aren’t used for animal enrichment will be recycled by chipping the trees for use around the zoo in enclosures and as mulch
for flower beds.
As an extra incentive, the zoo is running a special offer “bring a tree and get a free cup of tea” in Noah’s Ark Farm Shop in the zoo car park.
There are also other ways people can recycle their Christmas trees.
A volunteering team from St Peter’s Hospice will collect and recycle real Christmas trees in return for a donation.
The hospice is partnering with Just Helping to bring a Christmas tree collection service to the areas of BS4, BS5, BS9, BS16, BS20 and BS21 and a limited collection in BS41 and BS48.
Every donation made from the Christmas tree collections will go towards helping the hospice to continue caring for some of the most vulnerable people across Bristol. For more information and to book a slot, visit www.stpetershospice.org/treecollection.
Council recycling
In North Somerset, anyone registered for the garden waste service can put their real Christmas tree out for collection by 7am on their usual garden waste collection day between January 21 and February 1.
Alternatively people can take their real Christmas trees to their local recycling centre.
Christmas trees will also be collected for free again this year across Bristol.
Householders should put their tree out where they put their normal refuse or recycling for collection.
In South Gloucestershire those with a garden waste subscription can put their tree out for collection or cut it up and put it in the green bin.
Those who do not have a subscription can buy a garden waste sack from their local library for £2.30 and attach it to their tree with string and request a one-off garden waste collection.
Trees can also be disposed of at recycling centres.