Game Commission uses Christmas trees for wildlife habitats in Lebanon County

The Pennsylvania Game Commission, working with South Londonderry Township, will use recycled Christmas trees to create habitats for wildlife in State Game Lands 145 on the southern end of Lebanon County.

Drew Lambert, game lands maintenance supervisor, said staff lay out the trees in piles that can reach upwards of 15 feet high, with runways in and out for the animals that use them for shelter.

“They use them for homes — get out of the wind, out of the snow, out of the elements,” he said. “They can get away from predators and things like that. They can get in there and hide and hang out for a while.”

Lambert said they collect South Londonderry’s trees from the township building and at the Lawn Fire Company, and that it’s the only municipality they’re working with. At the December meeting of the South Londonderry Township Board of Supervisors, township manager John Eberly said the drop-off location at the municipal building is behind the highway garage. The municipality accepts dropped-off trees through Jan. 12, he said.

The game commission also collects unsold trees from Stauffers of Kissel Hill.

Lambert said it was a “win-win” for the township, the business, and the animals that live throughout the game land.

“Anything that’s habitat, that’s where we’re at. My job is basically habitat, so anything we can do to improve the habitat on the game lands, we’ll do our best to make it happen,” Lambert said. “This is just a really good opportunity to work with South Londonderry Township and the folks there and to be able to take their trees from there and put them on the game lands and make them useful to wildlife.”

Every year, the number of trees the commission has collected since the program’s inception in 2022 has increased, according to Lambert. Last year, they collected 365 trees and created 17 brush piles.

“It’s kind of nice because the trees are still there, but they do break down over the summer, so as soon as they break down, we have more to fill in and rebuild them,” he said.

On his treks throughout the area, Lambert said he looks for tracks that tell him what animals are using the space. He said it’s typically rabbits, birds, foxes, and raccoons.

And the animal populations are responding positively to the additional assistance.

“It’s definitely helping the wildlife here,” Lambert said. “It seems like the rabbit numbers throughout the summer has increased lately in the last few years, so it feels like it’s helping the habitat and the wildlife.”