Residents encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees

That old Christmas tree is for the birds — or fish, or flowers.

Instead of throwing away a live Christmas tree after the season, there are ways to give it new life as mulch or a wildlife habitat.

Resource forester Joe Schwartz with the Missouri Department of Conservation said there are a number of ways to recycle Christmas trees.

Schwartz suggested using a tree for mulch rather than bonfire material.

“Aside from the couple seconds of fun that come from seeing 20-foot tall flames, it takes that Christmas tree, and it makes it last longer. If you mulch it, you help your landscaping and you help your plants with the nutrients” from the tree, he said.

The conservation department, the City of Sedalia and the Central Missouri Electric Cooperative have a program for Pettis County residents who want to recycle their trees.

The trees will be chipped into mulch, which will then be available free of charge for residents. Any leftover mulch will be used by the city and at the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

Another way to recycle a tree is to sink it into a pond, Schwartz said.

Schwartz recommends tying a weight to the tree, then dropping it into the pond to provide fish a place to hide from predators.

“It’s also providing some recreational opportunity, because if you know where you threw it, that’s a good place to throw a worm in the summer,” he said.

People can also place the tree in a brush pile or by a bird feeder, which provides cover and habitat for birds and small mammals.

Boy Scout Troop 54 will offer a Christmas tree curbside pickup on Jan. 3 for those that register.

Scoutmaster Walter Doyal said it will be the third year the troop has offered the service, which collected between 30 and 40 trees last year.

Doyal said trees collected by the Scouts this year will be dropped off at either the fairgrounds or the city lot.

About 20 scouts will hit the road to collect the trees.

“We try to do it the first weekend in January; that way the trees aren’t hanging around” and become an indoor fire hazard, Doyal said.

To register for the free service, contact Troop 54 at (660) 620-6461.

“Once your name gets on the list, all we ask is that you have the tree at the curb with all ornaments removed and no base, so we can pick them up and throw it in the trailer,” Doyal said.

Mulch your tree:

Those who wish to turn their trees into mulch can drop them off at the north end of the Swine Pavilion at the State Fairgrounds before noon Jan. 4.

Trees may also be dropped off at the city lot at East 24th Street and South New York Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday through Jan. 3.

Only trees will be accepted — not garlands, wreaths or scrap wood. All ornaments, decorations and tinsel must be removed.

Mulch will be available for pickup starting Jan. 6.