In the aftermath of the holidays, instead of lugging your Christmas tree out to the curb, a land conservation group suggests putting it in your own backyard instead.

Samantha Knight, the National Science Manager for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), says leaving your Christmas tree in your backyard over the winter can provide many benefits for backyard wildlife.

Your tree can provide important habitat for bird populations during the winter months, especially on cold nights and during storms.

“Our backyards are ecosystems of their own,” says Knight.

By leaving our Christmas tree in our backyard, she says we can understand its life cycle and observe its impact on backyard biodiversity.