How Climate Change Affects Christmas Tree Production

🎄 How Climate Change Affects Christmas Tree Production

As we approach the holidays, many people will have a Christmas tree in their home. While artificial trees are popular, nearly a quarter of Christmas trees in United States households are real trees. Most Christmas trees are conifers, with the most popular species being the Fraser Fir, followed by the Douglas Fir, and the Noble Fir. The top two Christmas tree producing states are Oregon and North Carolina, with Oregon producing over 4.7 million trees each year. That equates to about 33% of all Christmas trees produced in the U.S. Like any other crop, Christmas trees are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. Extreme heat and prolonged periods of drought can cause stress to the trees, making them more prone to insects and disease. It can also cause browning and loss of the needles, stunt the tree’s growth, and increase the risk of dying. Extreme rainfall can cause fields to flood, causing roots to rot. Extreme cold can lead to frost damage and drying of buds. Oregon State University said persistent extreme temperatures and dry conditions were responsible for killing over 70% of Christmas tree seedlings in 2021. In 2024, Hurricane Helene caused around $125 million in losses of ornamental nurseries and Christmas trees, killing thousands of trees in floods and landslides. As the Earth warms and extreme weather events become more frequent, production of Christmas trees will be impacted more.

National Centers for Environmental Information

⛷️ Parts of the World Have Lost More than Two Weeks of Winter

According to Climate Central’s study of daily minimum temperatures in 901 cities and 123 countries in the past decade, cities around the world have lost weeks worth of winter ski, skate, and snow days each year due to climate change. Those weeks have been replaced by dozens of days of rain, melt, and mud. In Canada, Vancouver has lost 19 days, with B.C.’s Greater Nanaimo region losing 18 days, and Ontario’s Niagara region losing 15 days per year. More than 1/3 of the countries analyzed lost at least a week’s worth of winter days, with the hardest hit being Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Each of those countries lost at least three weeks of winter days. Areas in Europe and Canada have been found to be warming faster than the global average. Some impacts of the warming are water shortages, the spread of disease-carrying pests, disruption to farming, and spoiling winter recreation activities.

Emily Chung, CBC News via The Weather Network

🏠 Climate Change Sparks More Insurance Non-renewals

As a warming climate produces more wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events, home insurance companies are deserting homeowners. Without insurance, it’s impossible to get a mortgage. Without a mortgage, most Americans can’t buy a home. This is yet another instance where climate change is directly impacting daily life. Insurers are deeming communities too dangerous to insure, causing property values to decrease, meaning less tax revenue for schools, police, and other basic services. Areas facing greater fire risk had higher non-renewal rates compared to previous years, with more than 1 in 65 homes being denied. Areas facing greater hurricane risk had a large spike in non-renewals, jumping from around 1 in 100 to closer to 1 in 60 being denied. Even with mitigation tactics being added to homes, insurers are still denying coverage, and the coverage denial areas have spread much further than just the well-known areas like Florida.

Christopher Flavelle and Mira Rojanasakul, The New York Times

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