Nordmann Fir Christmas Trees

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Society, Nature

Ed Hessler

There are multiple ways we use and benefit from the natural world. Here is one of which I was unaware.

Each year in the Caucasus Mountains of the Republic of Georgia the seeds of the soft needled and beautifully shaped Nordmann fir are harvested for the growing of Christmas trees. The cones are handpicked from trees that may be 50m (~165 feet) by villagers, some of whom use safety harnesses and ropes while others climb freely and at some risk from injuries and even death. For the featured harvester ropes/harnesses are required by the firm for which he collects seeds. He tells the story of a friend who died from a fall.

This video from the BBC (4m 02s) shows one of them at work which is very labor intensive.  

Nordmann firs are grown in the U. S. Here is a very nice description (with photos) from Michigan State University. And a short (1m 29s) video from Michigan State University.