The Department of Parks and Recreation announces that residents may begin to bring their Christmas Trees for recycling starting Tuesday, Dec. 26. The program will end on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
All trees to be recycled must be undecorated (ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands must be removed).
The Parks & Trees Division will be recycling trees by chipping them. The wood chips can be used by residents as mulch or compost. Tree chips retained by the Town will be used in parks as mulch for trails in woodlands, shrub beds, and soil stabilization.
Nationally, Christmas trees are recycled for five main types of large-scale uses.
- Chipping; chips to be used for mulch or compost
Beachfront erosion prevention
• Lake and river shore stabilization
• Fish habitat; trees are sunk in lakes to serve as cover for young fish and sustaining insects
• River delta sedimentation management.
Homeowners may also consider retaining their Christmas trees for domestic uses such as:
- Songbird and wildlife habitat: Christmas trees placed near bird feeding areas are used by the
visiting birds as shelter from the wind and cold, and as protective cover from predators while consuming the bird food. Trees can also be ‘decorated’ by hanging peanut butter filled pine cones, suet and seed mixes, or fruit.
• Erosion control: Whole trees can be placed in gullied areas to prevent or slow erosion.
• Flower bed protection: Boughs can be cut off the trees to place on flower beds to protect roots
and bulbs from winter cold in a decorative way.
These are just a few ways trees can be recycled without the energy expense of mechanized chipping. If you have any other ideas about recycling Christmas trees, feel free to share them with the Dept. of Parks & Rec.
Residents can bring their Christmas tree to the following collection sites:
Byram Park:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – the parking lot by the Concession.
Bruce Park:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – the parking lot by the Children’s playground, opposite the entrance to Bruce Museum.
Greenwich Point:
6 a.m. until sunset – first parking lot across from the Nature Center.
Holly Hill Recycling Center:
7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays and 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays – place trees in the yard waste area.
Wood chips will be available to residents at each collection site.
No trees will be accepted after Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2019.
