With the arrival of the new year and the Epiphany fast approaching on January 6 — widely considered the day Christmas decorations should come down by — you are probably getting ready to take down your Christmas tree.
Before putting your live Christmas tree out for the trash collection or hauling it to the dump, why not instead bring it over to the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays.
That’s right the wildlife rescue center will take your tree — in fact, they have a great use for it. The non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of wild animals will use them in the aviaries of its wildlife patients and non-releasable ambassador raptors, according to a post on the center’s Facebook page.
“Your tree will help us provide a more natural environment,” the wildlife rescue center says.
“We use them to place in our outdoor enclosures to give our birds a natural place to hide and get out of the wind,” a representative tells Behind The Hedges.
No tinsel or lights can be left on the tree, of course.
The trees can be dropped off at the center located on Munn’s Pond Park. For more information, contact the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center at 631-728-4200.
The center is a full-time wildlife hospital staffed by licensed rehabilitators, biologists, animal behaviorists and volunteers. It receives more than 10,000 calls each year for information or assistance with wild animal encounters.
Email tvecsey@danspapers.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Behind The Hedges on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
