Transform your Tree at MulchFest 2010

Though it's questionable why you needed to chop down  a tree in the first place to celebrate a religious holiday through what is really a pagan ritual, you can help the environment and community by recycling your Christmas tree by attmulchfest logoending MulchFest, the 2010 edition.

So when you consider the holiday season is over,be redeemed and see your former friendly conifer reduced to wood chips and sawdust to be used for tree pits and gardens. The New York City Parks and Recreation Department hold this celebration of ecological awareness for two days - January 9 and 10, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at several sites around the five boroughs.

For your tree to qualify for this honor, remove all lights, ornaments, and decorations from it prior to drop-off.

Said Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, "Providing collection and recycling options for residents is environmentally valuable and benefits our neighborhoods. Working in conjunction with the city's Parks and Recreation Department allows residents to take part in the recycling process and permits them to even reuse their composted Christmas trees to fertilize for the spring. Compost is a natural fertilizer and is an excellent soil enrichment that promotes the healthy growth of plants and grass."

But given the likely frigid conditions, you may not want to hightail it anywhere depending on where the tree is lodged so there are other options. The Sanitation Department will collect clean, non-bagged Christmas trees that are left at the curb between Monday, January 4 and Friday, January 15, 2010. Again, remove all lights, tinsel, ornaments and stands before setting trees at the curb. If you placed the dried tree in a bag to prevent needles from getting all over--take it out of the bag when leaving it outside.

Those trees will be chipped and made into compost as well. The compost will be processed and subsequently spread upon parks, ball fields, and community gardens throughout the city.

You'll be able to take wood chips and/or mulch from designated chipping sites. Mulch will not be available at "Drop-off Only" sites. Sring a bag so you can grab some free mulch for your own use.

For more information and site locations see MulchFest 2010: http://www.nycgovparks.org/services/mulchfest/mulchfest.html

MulchFest 2010
Jan. 9 -10, 2010 from 10 am - 2 pm
Various Locations throughout NYC