What do I do with my old Christmas tree?

Ruth from Brooklyn, NY asks:

My child's school is hosting a Christmas tree sale and I'd like to be able to tell parents where they can recycle the trees after the holidays. Can anyone tell me if and where there are any programs to do this?

The Green Guide answers:

What a good idea! Natural Christmas trees are 100% biodegradable and can be useful to society and other living things long after the holidays end. Many communities across the country have implemented Christmas tree recycling programs, where the tree's leftover trunks and branches are chipped and turned into mulch for use in gardens, parks, hiking trails, playground areas, animal stalls and landscaping. Some communities use whole Christmas trees for river shoreline stabilization, beach erosion prevention, or fishing reefs.

In many towns and cities, you can drop off your tree at a central location, and a few communities even provide curbside collection of trees. Many municipal parks departments also offer opportunities to recycle trees by hosting a Christmas tree recycling event -- but check with officials before dropping trees off, because doing so without permission could draw a littering charge.

To find out if your community has a Christmas tree recycling program, contact your local parks and recreation department, public works department, the local office which handles recycling (often at the department of sanitation), or the mayor's office. You can also access local Christmas tree recycling information by entering your zip code at the National Christmas Tree Association web site, www.realchristmastrees.org, or by contacting the organization Earth 911 (800/CLEANUP, www.earth911.org).

Before you recycle or reuse your tree, remember to remove the stand and all decorations, including lights, ornaments, trimmings, tinsel, and garland. You may also wish to reuse your Christmas tree in your winter garden, as decoration or as a bird feeder. For general tips on natural Christmas trees, visit American Forest's tip page, at www.americanforests.org/news/display.php?id=96