Chestermere residents are encouraged to properly dispose of their Christmas trees following the holiday season by dropping the tree off at the boat launch in John Peake Park until Jan. 31.
Residents are asked to remove all decorations including tinsel from the tree prior to dropping it off at the boat launch.
“If trees are dropped at the boat launch, they can be cut up to make it easier to transport. Please note that we do not accept fake trees or trees in plastic bags,” said the Parks Coordinator, Alison Ciupa.
Not only does appropriately disposing of Christmas trees at the drop-off area help keep Christmas trees out of landfills, but it also helps the city make mulch which residents can use.
By chipping Christmas trees and creating mulch, the city parks department is able to generate mulch for the city’s gardening projects.
“The trees are fed through our chipper and turned into mulch that is then used around the city in shrub beds. Mulch is also made available in small quantities for residents to pick up at the Eco Centre during the summer months. Mulch is used to retain moisture and reduce weed growth,” Ciupa said.
Adding, “Keeping Christmas trees out of the waste stream by recycling them into mulch is better for the environment. Many Christmas trees come from tree farms, so it is a more sustainable process from start to finish.”
