Nick White, CSH Nature Recovery Ranger for NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, recently supported a major coastal restoration project on the Fylde Coast that turns used Christmas trees into natural sea defences. Working closely with BAM Construction, Nick helped ensure that trees collected by Woodlands Hospice in Liverpool could play a direct role in protecting vulnerable sand dunes and coastal communities.
In the weeks after Christmas, Woodlands Hospice staff, volunteers and supporters gathered real Christmas trees from across Liverpool, offering local people a sustainable alternative to sending trees to landfill. The Liverpool trees then became part of a much larger regional collection scheme, in which residents and businesses donated real trees via drop‑off points and doorstep collections across Fylde, Blackpool, Preston, Chorley, Ribble Valley and surrounding areas, creating a substantial resource for dune restoration work. Once the collection period ended, Nick worked with BAM to coordinate transport, arranging for the Liverpool trees to be loaded and taken from Aintree Hospital to the Fylde Coast.
On Tuesday 10 February, Nick joined colleagues from Lancashire Wildlife Trust, BAM and hundreds of other volunteers on the beach to help place the trees into shallow trenches in front of the existing dune system. Working in teams, volunteers laid the trees in the sand and secured them so that their branches will trap wind‑blown sand and gradually build up new dune ridges over time. This simple, nature‑based intervention strengthens the dunes as a “soft” sea defence while also creating better habitat for coastal wildlife.
Reflecting on the day, Nick said: “It was inspiring to see how Christmas trees that might otherwise have gone to waste are being used to protect such an important stretch of coastline. Standing on the beach alongside other volunteers really brought home how powerful it can be when communities come together to look after both people and planet.”
The project showcases exactly the kind of partnership approach championed by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare: connecting healthcare organisations, construction partners, local charities and environmental NGOs to deliver practical climate adaptation and nature recovery on the ground. By helping to move Christmas trees from Liverpool to the Fylde coast and joining the frontline work on the dunes, the Liverpool Hospitals Green Space for Health programme has contributed to a larger story of community‑led coastal restoration – turning festive “waste” into a living line of defence for people and nature.