Parker Offers Free Christmas Tree Recycling, Mulch Available Onsite

The Town of Parker opened its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program on December 25, running through January 25 at the west paved Salisbury Park ballfields field 1 parking lot. The program is limited to Parker residents and accepts both green and flocked real trees that have been cleared of non organic attachments.

Before dropping off trees residents must remove plastic tarps, tree stands, nails, ornaments, lights, garland and tinsel. The town will not accept artificial trees, garland or wreaths with wire backing. Additional yard waste and tree branches are not permitted and no commercial tree lot disposal will be allowed. Drop off is allowed only during park hours, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the town asks residents not to illegally dump other items at the site.

Collected trees are chipped into mulch. Beginning December 30 mulch will typically be available on site next to the drop off pile and is provided at no charge to Parker residents. Remaining mulch from the program will be used throughout the town and will not be discarded in a landfill. The town emphasizes that residents should not place Christmas trees in garbage containers, noting that keeping trees out of landfills helps extend the life of landfills and produces a useful resource. The program is described by town officials as one of several municipal efforts to encourage reduction, reuse and recycling.

For residents the program offers a low cost way to dispose of holiday trees while gaining a landscaping resource in the form of free mulch. For the town the initiative supports municipal waste diversion goals and creates material that can be applied to parks, public landscaping and homeowner projects. The prohibition on commercial disposal and on non tree yard waste is intended to preserve the program for local households and to prevent contamination of mulch with inappropriate materials.

The program is managed by the Town of Parker Forestry Division. Residents who plan to participate should follow the removal guidelines and the posted hours to ensure trees can be processed into mulch for town and household use.