The Christmas tree in your home was grown with a purpose. It was planted and nurtured until it was big enough to sell. It was then cut down and hauled to our local towns, where families carefully pick the perfect tree for this year’s holiday season. Then comes the decorating and gifts beneath its boughs. But when the celebration is over and the ornaments leave the branches, its purpose in your home ends there. Like torn gift-wrapping paper, the tree then departs for the final leg of its journey, which in too many cases can be the landfill.
Even though trees are a renewable resource, we should opt to recycle or dispose of them in a way that helps the environment. With a bit of imagination, your Christmas tree can be used for a multitude of purposes after the holidays, such as:
- Decorate your tree for wildlife—Put your tree outside and decorate with edible citrus ornaments or all-natural popcorn strings to feed birds and squirrels and give them shelter.
- Create a brush pile for wildlife—A Christmas tree makes a great base for a wildlife haven that provides food and protection during the winter months.
- Enrich your soil—Chip up your Christmas tree to add as a mulch enrichment to your garden bed. Tree limbs can be laid down to insulate garden plants.
- Help fish—Do you have a pond with fish on your property? Sunken Christmas trees provide shelter and feeding areas for aquatic creatures.
- Donate to tree recycling programs—We are fortunate to live in a community that has a wonderful tree recycling and mulching program.
Tree Collection and Pick-Up Details
City of Charlottesville
The City will offer curbside pick-up for Christmas trees the week of January 9, 2023. Trees need to be at the curbside by 7 a.m. Monday. Collection will follow your weekly trash route schedule.
County of Albemarle
The County will operate seven collection sites through January 20, open every day from 7 a.m. until dark. Decorations, stands and nails must be removed. Please, no yard waste or Christmas wreaths. The locations are:
- McIntire Recycling Center* – 611 McIntire Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22902
- Claudius Crozet Park – 1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet, VA 22932
- Greenwood Community Center – 865 Greenwood Rd. Crozet, VA 22932
- Chris Greene Lake Park – 4460 Chris Greene Lake Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22911
- Darden Towe Park – 1445 Darden Towe Park, Charlottesville, VA 22911
- Scottsville Community Center – 250 Page St. Scottsville, VA 24590
- Walnut Creek Park – 4250 Walnut Creek Park North Garden, VA 22959
*The McIntire Road recycling location may be congested. Please consider Darden Towe Park as an alternative; it is less congested and better suited for large loads and contract haulers.
After collection is completed, the City and County expect to chip an estimated 2,200 trees into mulch at Darden Towe Park.
By recycling Christmas trees, we can keep organic matter out of landfills, reduce our carbon footprint, and help teach our children to make environmentally responsible choices that will make a positive impact in our community for generations to come.
