On the Lancashire coast, tens of thousands of discarded Christmas trees are being buried on beaches to fight rising sea levels. Volunteers haul tinsel-free trees into shallow trenches near Blackpool in cold winds. These trees soon turn into sand dunes that shield seaside homes from floods. Since the mid-1800s, Lancashire has lost 80% of its sand dunes due to town growth. Amy Pennington from Lancashire Wildlife Trust said, “They’re important because this is the only form of sea defence that the local community has.” This Christmas tree burial project started over 30 years ago but has grown with rising sea levels. The UK lost 30% of its dunes since 1900, while sea levels rose by nearly 20 cm. Storm surges have sped up dune loss, possibly putting coastal houses at risk, Pennington added. The dunes also shelter wildlife. Rare sand lizards, missing for 60 years, returned after being released in 2020 and are thriving. Andy Singleton-Mills from Fylde council said the lizards are hard to spot, running fast from humans. Recently, 650 volunteers buried about 2,000 Christmas trees along a two-mile stretch of Lytham beach. The dunes grow up to 3 meters high and hold strong thanks to marram grass roots. Pennington noted that in the next five years, they will focus on building dunes higher to combat tides. Local artist Holly Moeller described the dunes as a hidden sanctuary. She said, “At difficult points in my life when I’ve struggled with mental health, there’s something about the coast and the dunes that is big enough to hold that.” The Christmas tree dunes offer both natural protection and quiet solace on Lancashire’s coast.