Christmas tree disposal options are numerous

COLUMBUS -- Now that the holiday season has passed, decorations are coming down.

There are several options available for those looking to ditch their Christmas trees.

For those who don’t want to haul their own trees away, a local Boy Scout troop is conducting an annual Christmas tree pickup fundraising project.

Troop 406 will pick up trees Saturday. Scout Master Duane Jones said this is the fifth year the troop has done the project.

“We go around to all of the Christmas tree distributors and put flyers on the trees. A person buys the tree and has the phone number and e-mail address (for tree pickup),” Jones said.

They collected between 250-300 trees last year in the Columbus area. The trees are taken to Pawnee Park and are later turned into mulch used by the city.

Not only is the pickup a service, but it is also a fundraiser, Jones said. It asks people to leave a donation to the troop for picking up the tree. The money raised goes toward helping fund summer camp trips.

To receive pickup, e-mail christmastreepickup66@yah

oo.com or call (402) 246-9208 for more details.

Trees should be left by the curb. Donations and can be left in a bag attached to the front doorknob. Checks can be made out to Troop 406.

Doug Moore, Columbus Parks Department supervisor, said the public is welcome to dump its Christmas trees in the parking lot of the baseball park at Pawnee Park until Jan. 12.

The trees will be turned into mulched and used around trees, bushes and shrubs in the city. Moore said people who drop off their trees should remove them from plastic bags and make sure they are stripped of any ornaments and decorations.

There is no charge to dispose of trees at the site. Only trees are accepted, no wreaths. Moore also said people are welcome to take any trees for their private use.

There are several uses for old Christmas trees that also are environmentally friendly. Aside from recycling them into chips or mulch for landscaping, they also can be used in other ways like wildlife habitat for birds and small animals, placed in ponds and lakes for fish habitat, and used to help prevent soil erosion.