Soon, your once-fresh Christmas tree and greens will be moving from Christmas to crispness. No matter. When you’re ready to take down the decorations, explore all your options of how to reuse or recycle.
Many communities across the state offer a recycling program, whereby trees are collected and ground up into mulch for municipal use. Areas with lots of man-made lakes sometimes collect and sink old trees into waterways to slow erosion. Check with your local city government or county Extension Office to see if such a tree collection program is in place this year. If not, you can generally treat trees and greens as yard waste.
Also, if you have the space and don’t mind “the natural look” in your landscape, lay your old tree in a remote corner of your yard; it will make a great hiding and nesting place for birds, rabbits and other small creatures. If you have a compost pile, you can cut the branches into small pieces, and add them to the compost pile. It will take time, but they will break down to beautiful soil.
Whatever you choose, be sure all the non-natural decorations, like tinsel and ornament hooks, have been removed. While sparkly mulch might have an interesting look, it’s not very good for the environment.