A city Department of Parks and Recreation crew has a challenging month ahead. A massive pile of Christmas trees dropped off in Prospect Park will soon be put through a wood chipper to be recycled as mulch.
It is all part of the annual post-holiday event known as Mulchfest.
What You Need To Know
- Mulchfest is the Parks Department's annual holiday recycling celebration
- Christmas trees can be dropped off at 73 sites around the city through Jan. 8
- Trees will be put into wood chippers and cut into mulch, which can be used in neighborhood tree beds and gardens
- The city's Department of Sanitation will also do curbside tree pick-up and recycling from Jan. 6 until Jan. 14
"The trees that are being chipped here will be used in gardens and on street tree beds," Jeff Sigadel, Brooklyn chief of operations for the Department of Parks and Recreation, said.
Mulchfest runs from the day after Christmas through Jan. 8, with 73 drop-off sites around the five boroughs.
This Saturday and Sunday, New Yorkers can also see their trees chipped in-person at 34 chipping sites and take home as much mulch as they want for neighborhood tree pits or gardens.
"It's a community thing too. When you come on the weekend and people are bringing their trees and the kids get to see the trees chipped up in the chippers, it's like a little tree chipping party," Sigadel said.
Recycling Christmas trees is an opportunity to practice sustainability and provide much-needed mulch for trees growing all over town.
"They keep the tree roots warm — a little blanket on top of them. It actually keeps the moisture in when there is not enough rain, prevents weeds and the mulch will break down and provide nutrients," Sigadel said.
For those who can't make it to the chipping weekend, the Sanitation Department will be doing curbside pickup and recycling of trees from Jan. 6 until Jan. 14.
As for Mulchfest, the Department of Parks and Recreation is hoping to make mulch from around 50,000 trees when it's all said and done.