Area residents urged to recycle Christmas trees

But what happens after the holiday season? Most people simply throw their Christmas tree away. Yet trees are, in fact, a valuable organic material that can be recycled and chipped into mulch. This mulch is used in public gardens and parks across the valley to help conserve soil moisture and keep plants healthy. Recycling your tree is a gift that will keep on giving back to the community.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has joined other local government agencies, volunteers and business entities as part of the Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee. The committee is asking Southern Nevadans to give their community a gift and recycle their Christmas tree.

Trees have been recycled in Southern Nevada for more than five years and each year sees an increase in the number of trees recycled. Last year, Southern Nevada residents recycled almost 19,000 trees, an 86 percent increase from 2006.

Yet, as impressive as that is, that’s only 7.5 percent of the 250,000 trees sold in our community, a committee spokesperson said. Last year, 231,000 trees went to the landfill.

The recycling process is very simple and there is no fee to participate. Christmas trees may be taken to more than 20 locations throughout the valley now through Jan. 15 to be recycled.

The committee asks that all nonorganic items, such as lights, wire, tinsel and ornaments, be removed before the tree is dropped off for recycling.

Also, flocked trees cannot be recycled.

For more information about the Christmas tree recycling program or to find a drop off site, visit www.springspreserve.org/html/about_tree_locations.html. Additional information is available by contacting Angela O’Callaghan at 257-5581 or by e-mail at ocallaghana@unce.unr.edu.

Information courtesy University of Nevada Cooperative Extension