Are Christmas tree farms a gift for wildlife?

In the debate over real or artificial Christmas trees, the birds may have an opinion. In many cases, some conservationists say, Christmas tree farms can function like young forests, offering resources for migrating birds and other species.

When the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests started a Christmas tree farm, the New York Times reports, managers found birds, deer and foxes were attracted to the landscape.

While not every conservationist is a fan—concerns range from pesticide use to lack of tree diversity— many see Christmas tree farms as providing important benefits that might not be available without these acres of manicured trees.

“None of that is to say that a Christmas tree farm is a replacement for untouched nature,” David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, told the Times. “I encourage people to think of things through an ecological lens, where everything has a life cycle. And what’s more important is that while it’s living, it’s actually contributing to that ecosystem.”

Read more from the New York Times.