(Radio Iowa) – Iowa families who put up a live Christmas tree in their houses back on Thanksgiving weekend are likely ready for it to come down now, and instead of hauling it to the curb to go into a landfill, they might consider ways to repurpose it. Chip Murrow, an urban forestry program specialist with the Iowa D-N-R, says folks with acreages might be able to “tree-cycle” that evergreen back into the great outdoors, somewhere on their own property.

Smaller songbirds will like having a place to get out of the wind and to seek refuge from predators. Murrow says you can also decorate the tree outside.

An old Christmas tree that’s sunk in a farm pond could become an excellent fish habitat, but he cautions, it has to be under certain conditions.

For best results, he suggests sinking it with a cement block secured to the trunk, so it sits upright at the bottom of the pond. For Iowans who are crafty, you could trim the branches to make a fragrant sachet, wreath, or garland to enjoy in the weeks ahead.

Another option would be to find a local Boy Scout troop that could use the tree for outdoor firewood, though with the creosote, it should -not- be burned indoors in a fireplace. A final option, use the needles as an effective mulch on perennial plants, in your garden, and to keep weeds in check next spring.