Christmas tree recycling offered

By LISA CHAPMAN / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

KUHN

The Department of Urban Forestry is once again having its Christmas tree drop-off now that Christmas is over. The city recycles the live trees into mulch which can be use for future planting or around existing plants.

Drop-off locations include Three Star Mall, McMinnville Civic Center, behind City Hall and at the new or old Urban Forestry office.

‘We have these sites ready for drop-off right now,” said Urban Forestry director Nick Kuhn. ‘They will be there until Jan. 13.”

Urban Forestry will be assisted in the recovery and tree sorting by students in the National Honor Society at Boyd Christian School.

The city can take ball and burlap trees and live cut trees only, as fake trees cannot be recycled. Trees covered with sprayed-on fake snow cannot be recycled. The city also requests all ornaments, other decorations and metal stands be removed before being dropped off, as this has been a problem in the past.

Also, wreaths made with anything other than all natural materials need to have metals, fishing line and ornaments removed.

The Department of Urban Forestry office will be accepting trees after Jan. 13.

‘If people want to drop their trees off after the pick-up day,” said Kuhn, ‘they can drop them off here. We will take them at anytime.”

The Department of Urban Forestry is located at 218 S. Chancery Street.