The presents have long since been unwrapped and you’re ready to put Christmas past you. So, what do you do with that sad, dying tree in your living room?
The Hermiston Parks and Recreation Department has the answer – recycle it. The city has designated a site adjacent to Butte Park near the Sprayground as the Christmas tree drop-off site.
Larry Fetter, director of the Hermiston Parks and Rec Department, said the city collects between 300-500 trees each year. (Fun fact: There were 24.5 million live Christmas trees sold in the U.S. last year)
The city of Hermiston will collect Christmas trees through Jan. 25.
“Even after that, trees still wander in, but we collect the bulk of them by the 25th,” Fetter said.
Once the trees are collected, the city chops them up into mulch and uses it for weed control within the city’s parks system.
“We mulch them up and use the mulch in planter beds in the parks,” Fetter said. “It’s pretty effective in controlling weed germination.”
So there you have it – load up that tree and take them to the drop-off site.
P.S. Don’t forget to remove the ornaments!
