Transport distances and fertiliser make imported trees a drain on natural resources

Getting a Christmas tree is a serious business in Finland, and the reasons for one’s choice are defended zealously. Some are passionate supporters of the humble Finnish latvakuusi (basically the crown of a Picea abies or Norway spruce that has been cut down for use by the forest industry), while others want a more symmetrical cultivated silver fir (Abies alba, Abies procera) or Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana). Those with allergies or a bent for tidiness swear by the convenience and absence of falling needles of a plastic tree. Eco-friendliness can also be one of the criteria for choosing a tree. It is a question of how much the acquisition of the tree consumes non-renewable and renewable resources. "It is easy to ascertain the ecological efficiency of a Christmas tree, particularly that of one of those "crown" spruces. This uses up precisely those natural resources that are consumed in bringing it from the forest to the point of sale. The longer the distance, the more it burdens the environment. Much the same goes for firs that have been cut down as part of forest management thinning programmes", says Eija Koski, a researcher in sustainable developement from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.