‘Repurposing old trees’
Greenwich launches recycling program for Christmas trees
GREENWICH — The town of Greenwich is again offering a free recycling program for Christmas trees.
“This is a great way to recycle trees and to keep organic material from ending up in a landfill or being incinerated,” said Gregory Kramer, the town’s tree warden and superintendent of parks and trees.
Residents can dispose of their trees starting Dec. 26, with the program running until Jan. 31.
The trees must not be decorated, so residents must remove all tinsel, lights and ornaments. The tree cannot be in a stand.
The drop-off times and locations are: *from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. near the concession stand at Byram Park;
*from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by the
playground in Bruce Park opposite the Bruce Museum entrance;
*from 6 a.m. until sunset in the parking lot across from the nature center at Greenwich Point; and
*from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at Holly Hill.
“We are repurposing old trees in ways that can add nutrients back to the soil with wood chips,” said Kramer. “And there are other ways (the trees) can be used beneficially, too, to help out wildlife and protect property from erosion.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, residents must wear masks and practice social distancing when disposing of trees. Anyone with symptoms of the coronavirus or who has come into contact with someone with symptoms should not drop off trees.
Kramer said he expects more residents to use the
town’s free service this year because of the growing demand for natural materials. Typically, about 5,000 to 6,000 trees are disposed of this way annually, he said.
“I think people are more aware of the environmental benefits, and this actually may convince more people to buy Christmas trees each year,” Kramer said. “In the past, people might have wanted one but didn’t want to kill a tree (to use it) for ( just) a few weeks out of a year. But by recycling these trees, we can put nutrients into the ground and help the environment.”
New uses for the trees
The trees are turned into wood chips, which residents can take and use as mulch or compost. Or residents can leave the wood chips, which can also be used by the Parks and Recreation Department as mulch on trails, in shrub beds and for soil stabilization.
Christmas trees are recycled nationally. They can be used to prevent
beachfront erosion, to stabilize lake shores and riverbanks, to manage river delta sedimentation and to become fish habitats by sinking the trees in lakes to create coves for young fish.
Residents can also use the trees in their own yards to create a songbird and wildlife habitat. Christmas trees can be placed near bird feeding areas to be used by the visiting birds as shelter from the wind and cold and as protective cover from predators. Also, residents can “decorate” the trees with peanutbutter-filled pine cones, suet, seed mixes or fruit to further encourage use by birds.
Trees can also be used for erosion control on private property. Whole trees can be placed in gullies to prevent or slow erosion. Or branches can be cut off and placed on flowerbeds to protect roots and bulbs during the winter.
Recycle holiday lights, too
Residents can also re
cycle old holiday lights at Holly Hill, according to the Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board.
A bin for Christmas lights has been placed near the facility’s electronic waste container.
The Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board will pack up the discarded lights and send them to a facility that has the capability of recycling the glass, copper and plastic components.
GRAB will use the proceeds of the light recycling program to purchase books, educational games and toys for the Toys for Tots Foundation.