NYC's 'Mulchfest' Turns Parks Into Xmas Tree Recycling Centers

NEW YORK, NY — The beginning of every new year brings the end of the life cycle for Christmas Tree's from the previous holiday season. New Yorkers will be disposing of their dried-out and dying conifers en masse in the next few weeks, and two city agencies are teaming up to make disposing of Christmas Trees a breeze.

The city Parks and Sanitation Department will once again host "Mulchfest" — an event that transforms city parks in each borough into dedicated tree disposal centers — between Jan. 4 and Jan. 13, city officials said. At several Mulchfest locations, trees will be run through wood chippers and repurposed into mulch that will be used by the city to help keep parks green in the coming year.

New Yorkers who drop their trees off at these special Mulchfest locations will also get a bag of mulch to take home and will have the opportunity for one more photo alongside their 2018 tree before it's chopped into tiny pieces, city officials said.

"We encourage New Yorkers to bid their tree 'fir-well' at Mulchfest, making it a part of their Holiday tradition," Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver said in a statement. "By making greening a family activity, we all can help reduce waste, and protect and nourish other trees and plants across the city year-round."

More than 25,000 trees were recycled through the city's Mulchfest event in 2018. Find a full list of parks that are participating in Mulchfest this year on the city Parks Department website.

New Yorkers who won't be able to lug their trees to a park this year can opt for curbside pickup.

The Sanitation Department will offer curbside tree pickup from Jan. 2 through Jan. 12. Those putting their trees out should make sure that they're "naked" — that means no stands, lights, tinsel or ornaments, even the ugly ones.

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