Foxes to help protect evergreens at UNL

Landscapes services employees at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will apply a natural repellent to protect evergreen trees over the upcoming holiday season.

According to Kirby Baird, landscape services manager for UNL's City Campus, trees will be sprayed with a pungent mixture of fox urine, water and glycerin on Nov. 20-21.

"This is something we have done for the last 20 years or so to protect the trees from being cut down," Baird said. "It's a really effective deterrent."

The mixture does not smell when the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if a tree is brought indoors, heat activates the fox urine mixture.

"This has been a fairly effective deterrent," Baird said. "And, we are publicizing this because we don't want people cutting down or ruining trees that cost us a lot of money."

The replacement cost on a six-foot evergreen is between $300 and $400.

Baird said the mixture would be applied on both City and East campus evergreens in the mornings of Nov. 20 and 21 (weather permitting). The application lasts approximately two months.

"That's just enough time to get us through the holiday season," Baird said.

CONTACT: Kirby Baird, Landscape Services, (402) 472-9135