Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Christmas Tree Recycling Tips




Place the tree in the yard or garden for use by birds and other wildlife. The branches provide shelter from strong winds and cold. Food can be supplied by hanging fruit slices, seed cakes, or suet bags on its branches. You can also smear peanut butter and seeds in pine cones and hang them in the tree.

Prune off the branches and place the boughs over perennials as a winter mulch.
Chip the tree and use as a mulch around trees, shrubs, or in flower beds.

If you can't use the tree yourself, contact local government offices, such as the Public Works Department, or your sanitation service. Most communities have some type of Christmas tree disposal program. Some have central collection points, others collect the trees at curbside.

Conservation groups may be another option. Some hunting and fishing groups collect trees and use them to provide habitat for fish and wildlife.

In the US the National Christmas Tree Association (an organization which represents Christmas tree growers) has teamed up with Scottsdale, Arizona-based conservation group Earth 911 to point consumers in the right direction with their trees. On their Web site, you can enter your zip code to find the nearest of 3,800-plus spots nationwide that accept old trees. To find a location in your area, click here!

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