The American Christmas tree industry is a huge money-maker for the nation. Every year, especially during the holiday season, millions of natural Christmas trees as well as artificial Christmas trees are imported, exported, bought and sold the world over. Just like artificial Christmas tree production, natural trees comprise a sub industry that demands equal attention. As the United States is one of the leading nations that produce a majority of the seedlings of spruces and firs, it is vital to know of the details regarding the import and export of these trees.
At present, the market for fresh Christmas trees is rapidly expanding here and overseas. In fact, Mexico is one of the leading importers in the Christmas tree industry. As of the early 90’s it has been acquiring close to 400,000 trees each year, and this number has greatly risen since then. The option of importing both artificial Christmas trees as well as natural ones is not a foreign notion, as some U.S. states do not possess the climate and landscape necessary to cultivate these plants. And though some may prefer an artificial Christmas tree for their holiday setup, the allure of a freshly grown pine still exists and continues to fuel this industry.
Countries the world over have caught the desire to have their own natural Christmas tree, and to this effect a number of them import these products from America. Among the countries that import Christmas trees are Germany, which is currently the largest market for US-grown pines; the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium-Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Japan. These countries import millions of dollars worth of trees each year, and this is currently discounting the artificial Christmas tree industry.
In order to get the best bounty when it comes to Christmas trees, other states and countries look to the lead producers of the industry. While the US Pacific Northwest is a popular provider of Christmas trees, the states of North Carolina, Virginia and Canadian province Ontario are the go-to states for any entity seeking to import a quality Christmas tree. These locations are capable of producing the top-selling species in the market. Of course, these statistics are vastly different when compared with the market for artificial Christmas trees.
As with any other commercial industry, the market for Christmas trees has a vital impact upon the environment. Naturally grown trees in themselves are ideal for oxygen production and improve the quality of soil and the surrounding landscape, both aesthetically and through prevention of natural disasters such as floods and landslides (particularly in the mountainous regions). However, uprooting a Christmas tree for sale and export may have numerous untoward effects. Firstly, this entails removal of protection against natural disasters, as well as depriving the region of its aesthetics. Secondly, a portion of the industry involves taking trees from forests and natural reserves, which may damage the local ecosystem as well as endanger any rare species of pine.
Though the import and export of Christmas trees may prove to be of untold economic worth, the environmental consequences may be more devastating than expected, thus prompting people to entertain the artificial alternative, and perhaps consider more environmentally friendly options thereof.
