Sprucing up sustainability: Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm's biggest tree-cycling effort yet

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm is excited to announce the return of its highly popular Christmas tree recycling initiative in January 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of this sustainable tradition.

In partnership with St. Peters Hospice and North Somerset Council, this eco-friendly program has grown year on year, and 2025 is set to be the biggest yet.

From humble beginnings recycling around 1,000 trees in 2021, last year saw over 3,000 Christmas trees repurposed through this scheme. These trees provide enrichment and environmental benefits for Noah’s Ark’s animals while promoting sustainable practices within the community.

Image: Noah's Ark Zoo Farm Tree-Cycling, credit Doug Evens

People are encouraged to make a donation to St Peter’s Hospice, and then leave their Christmas tree outside their home to be collected between 10 – 12 January 2025. The Tree Collection service runs across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

Sophie Cullinane, Community Fundraising Manager at St Peter’s Hospice, said: “We’re so excited to launch our 5th annual Christmas Tree Collection. Thanks to our valued partnership with Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, we can recycle collected trees on their premises, offering the Bristol community a convenient and sustainable way to dispose of their Christmas trees. By using the Tree Collection service, you can help support patients and their families when they need it most and prevent your old Christmas tree from going to waste. It’s a really easy way to make a difference to your community and the environment.

Image: Noah's Ark Zoo Farm Tree-Cycling, credit Doug Evens

Recycled Christmas trees play a key role in creating natural enrichment for animals at the zoo. Chippings from the trees are used in the Andean Adventure habitat, where spectacled bears Madidi, Rasu, Tuichi, and Beni delight in the fresh scents and textures, much like the seasonal joy we feel with Christmas trees in our homes. Elsewhere at the zoo, rhinos and meerkats enjoy the festive addition of tree mulch, with their keepers burying food beneath the chippings to encourage natural foraging behaviours.

Even the zoo’s largest animals get in on the fun. Elephants savour the branches as a festive treat and enjoy foraging through piles of chippings for hidden snacks. Branches from Christmas trees add a seasonal twist to their diet of willow and other tree foliage, ensuring they benefit from both nutrition and enrichment.

The Christmas tree recycling scheme is a cornerstone of Noah’s Ark’s Green Zoo initiative, which focuses on sustainability and conservation. With the success of the locally sourced Christmas tree sales, the zoo are proud to offer a full-circle experience, where visitors can buy their Christmas tree, and then recycle it at the same place.

Image: Noah's Ark Zoo Farm Tree-Cycling, credit Doug Evens

Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council’s executive member for climate, waste, and sustainability, praised the scheme, “I’m delighted North Somerset Council is once again supporting these local Christmas tree recycling schemes. As well as raising a fantastic amount of money for local charities, the schemes ensure thousands of trees do not go to waste and can instead be repurposed and used again as a valuable resource." 

Larry Bush, CEO of Noah’s Ark, added, “This initiative is one of our favourite ways to start the year, benefiting both our animals and the environment. Together with North Somerset Council and our amazing supporters, we’re confident 2025 will be our biggest and best year yet!”

People can drop off their trees from Thursday 2 to Sunday 26 January 2025, between 10:30 am and 4:00 pm. The scheme is open to individual households wishing to sustainably recycle their trees.