ITV Granada Reports journalist Lauren Ostridge spent the day with hundreds of volunteers who are helping bury thousands of old pines on the beach in Lancashire.
An army of volunteers has buried thousands of old Christmas trees on the beach as part of a major project to protect and restore the coastline’s sand dunes.
The dunes on North Beach, near St Annes in Lancashire, are part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and plays a crucial role in providing habitat for flora, fauna and rare species of international and national importance.
But over the 150 years, the area has lost more than 80% of its dunes due to coastal town expansion – and with them, the natural protection that keeps our doorsteps dry and our wildlife safe.
The Fylde Sand Dunes Project, funded by the Environment Agency, aims to restore and conserve the dunes by growing them seawards to enhance their effectiveness.
Every year, the team dig large trenches on the beach and bury Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes – all donated by local residents after the festive season.
Once buried, the trees stabilise the dunes and act as a natural sea defence and provide a more stable environment for rare species like the Sand Lizard, who rely on this delicate habitat to survive.
Amy Pennington from Lancashire Wildlife Trust said: “Sand dunes act really well as a soft sea defence when there’s storm surges and there’s strong winds – they act as a buffer between the land and the sea.
“This is their primary focus so it protects all of the infrastructure behind. It’s also important for habitats, and the wildlife that lives there, but also, people love the sand dunes.
“The project’s three main aims is to protect from the sea, for habitats and for people.”
In 2025, over 2,000 trees were donated to the cause which increased the dune system by 90 metres – or the length of a football pitch.It is hoped the efforts of 2026’s volunteers will top those numbers, protecting this coastline – and its inhabitants – one Christmas tree at a time.
Amy added: “Every year this project just gets bigger and bigger, which is amazing because so many people want to take part and give back to their local community – we just wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”
For a link to the original article, please click here.
