Holiday Tree Recycling Begins This Weekend

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and Department of Sanitation Commiss-ioner John Doherty this week announced the city’s "MulchFest" program, which converts holiday trees into wood chips.

On Monday the mayor encouraged New Yorkers to recycle their holiday trees by participating in the eighth annual MulchFest on January 3 and January 10 in designated parks throughout the five boroughs. This year, MulchFest has expanded the number of recycling sites from 40 to 69 and will have wood-chippers at 30 sites. At many of the tree drop-off locations, where chippers will be on hand, the public is encouraged to take home mulch for their own gardens and plants.

In Brooklyn, the Prospect Park Alliance invites New Yorkers to Prospect Park’s 11th Annual Holiday Tree Recycling.

This Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Third Street and Prospect Park West, where giant wood chippers will churn your holiday trees into life-giving mulch for the park’s grounds and neighboring gardens. All decorations must be removed prior to heaving and hauling the trees for chipping. Last year an estimated 1,700 holiday trees were mulched.

A piping hot cup of chocolate will be available, courtesy of the Park Slope Civic Council, provided you bring the tree for after Noon on January 3.

Additionally, trees can be dropped off at any of Prospect Park’s entrances where they will be collected and chipped at Third Street.

On January 3, and for days afterwards, you can take your share of free mulch, by bringing a shovel and
container or garbage bag(s) to Third Street and Prospect Park West. Whatever wood chips remain will be used within the Park.

Additional mulch will be stored throughout January at the Wollman parking lot. It’s also for-the-taking. For questions, call the Prospect Park Alliance Hotline at (718) 965-8999.

The Department of Sanitation will also be collecting trees from the curbside and transporting to recycling sites this year from January 5 through January 10. Last year, Parks & Recreation recycled over 10,400 trees during MulchFest.

"On the next two Saturdays, New Yorkers will be able to start the New Year in an environmentally-friendly fashion, by taking their holiday trees and wreaths to designated parks to have them recycled," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This annual tradition provides a way for our holiday trees to bring new life to plants and trees throughout the City and divert them from the waste stream and help make our city greener and more beautiful."

Tree recycling creates woodchip mulch that moderates soil temperatures, helps retain moisture, prevents compaction and deters weed growth, while slowly adding nutrients to the soil. Wood chips may be used to line street tree pits and flowerbeds in parks. The chips insulate the soil around the base of the tree, reduce soil compaction, increase moisture, and prevent salt-shock. Wood chips may also be used in homes and gardens to enrich soil and control weeds.

Trees must be dropped off at designated locations between 10 a.m. and
2 p.m. and all lights, ornaments, and decorations must be removed from the trees prior to drop-off. Trees should not be placed in plastic bags. New Yorkers are also encouraged to take neighbors’ trees to designated sites, to team up with others to collect and recycle as many trees as possible, and to bring along bags for wood chips available at specified sites, which make great liners for street tree pits and home or community gardens.

MULCHFEST sites in Brooklyn include:

• East New York Success Garden, Livonia & Alabama avenues.

• Marine Park, Avenue U parking lot at East 32 Street.

• Owl’s Head Park, Shore Road & 68 Street.

• Prospect Park
(see above).

For more information on the
citywide mulching program and to
find the nearest MulchFest location, please log on to www.nyc.gov or call 311.