Mulchfest kicked off early Thursday morning, offering New Yorkers an environmentally friendly way to say goodbye to their holiday evergreens.

The tradition, spanning over 20 years, involves the collection of Christmas trees at dozens of locations across the five boroughs through early January.

What You Need To Know

  • Through Jan. 12, Christmas trees can be dropped off at dozens of locations across the five boroughs

  • This year, the city's Parks Department will host a "Chipping Weekend" on Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12

  • Last year, 46,626 trees were recycled, according to the Parks Department

From now through Sunday, Jan. 12, anyone with a live tree can bring it to a designated park or drop-off site during park hours to be recycled.

This year, the city's Parks Department will host a "Chipping Weekend" on Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12. New Yorkers will be able to bring their trees to a designated “chipping site” between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., watch them get chipped and take home a bag of mulch.

The Parks Department reminds New Yorkers to remove all lights, ornaments and netting before bringing trees to a Mulchfest site.

Last year, 46,626 trees were recycled, according to the Parks Department, while 2022 set a record, with more than 58,000 trees transformed into mulch. The resulting tree scraps are used to nourish other trees and plants throughout the city's green spaces.

For those who prefer not to haul their tree to a drop-off site, curbside collection is available on regularly scheduled compost and recycling days.

For more information, visit the Parks Department's website.