Each year, an estimated 25 to 30 million live Christmas trees are purchased in the United States. After the festivities, when it’s time to take down the Christmas tree, we offer a few ways that you can get a second life out of your tree by recycling or repurposing it. All of these options are better for the planet than tossing it to the curb and sending it to the landfill.
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What can I do with my used holiday tree?
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• Move the tree outside. Simply lean it against a shed or fence to make an instant shelter for birds and other wildlife.
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• Remove branches and lay them in perennials beds to insulate plants and protect them from freezing and thawing cycles.
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• Use the branches and to make a bird feeder in your yard. String cranberries, hang peanut butter, pine cones or suet. The branches offer winter protection for birds and a safe place to congregate.
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• Make a natural bouquet for a vase or winter container. Select and snip off evergreen boughs that are still bendable and fresh. Add red dogwood branches, pine cones or other botanicals for color and texture.
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• Mulch your Christmas tree at your local recycling event. The trees will be turned into mulch which is more earth-friendly than sending them to a landfill. Why? Because when trees end up in the landfill, they release greenhouse gas emissions as they decompose. It’s not just your tree but millions of holiday trees that will take up a huge area in landfills across the country. Many local recycling locations offer free mulch for your yard that will benefit plants or woodchips for paths in local parks or forest preserves.
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• Usually garland and wreaths are NOT accepted. Because the trees will be turned into mulch, all ornaments, lights, garland and tree stands must be removed. Plastic bags used to capture dropping needles should also be removed before being mulched.
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• Many cities and villages will pick up your tree at the curb and take it to be recycled. However, others might want you deliver the tree yourself. Check for drop off and recycling hours locally.
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• Lake County Forest Preserves: Drop off your tree at one of eight marked sites across Lake County, open daily from 6:30 am to sunset through early February. No yard waste or commercial drop-offs are accepted. The Lake County Forest Preserves has been accepting trees for recycling for at least 20 years.Â
- Give your Christmas tree a second life in your forest preserves. By recycling your real, undecorated tree, you help to create wood chips for trails and landscaping that enhance the preserves.
- Most years more than 1,000 trees are donated.
- Some trees are used to create “fish cribs.” Staff ties several trees together and sinks them with a cinderblock in larger lakes, particularly those that were formerly gravel quarries and lack substantial underwater vegetation. These lakes benefit from the fish cribs, as they serve as crucial habitats for fish.
-Grant Woods Forest Preserve: 25405 W. Monaville Road, Ingleside
-Greenbelt Forest Preserve: 1110 Green Bay Road, North Chicago
-Half Day Forest Preserve: 24255 Milwaukee Avenue, Vernon Hills
-Heron Creek Forest Preserve: 22890 N. Old McHenry Road, Lake Zurich
-Lakewood Forest Preserve: South of Ivanhoe Road near Heron Pond
-Old School Forest Preserve: 28285 St. Mary’s Road, Mettawa
-Ryerson Conservation Area: 21950 N. Riverwoods Road, Riverwoods
-Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve: 15838 W. Route 173, Wadsworth
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Check online for more details about Lake County Forest Preserves https://www.lcfpd.org/holidaytree/
