Now that Christmas is over, Jefferson City residents are slowly taking down their Christmas trees, which can be recycled by the city.
Between Washington Park Ice Arena and Jefferson City's Ernie Vivion Field at Washington Park, Christmas trees lay on the ground, ready to be recycled by the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. The department grinds the Christmas trees into mulch to be used in local parks.
"A lot of people used to go out and throw them in a ditch or something like that and leave them, but here we can reuse them and recycle," City Forester Ray Wallace said. "When we do tree work, we recycle the wood we use - we make lumber, we make firewood, we make mulch, we make whatever. We try to get the public to do the same thing instead of just getting rid of it or burning it."
Wallace said this resource has been offered for at least 20 years and other organizations use the mulch every year, like the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Residents can drop off their Christmas trees at Washington Park, 1200 Washington Park Drive, for free any time through Jan. 31. Residents must ensure all ornaments and other decorations are off the trees, as they could damage the blades on the brush chipper.
"We look at most Christmas trees before we put them through anyway to make sure there's nothing on it," Wallace said. "It won't destroy the brush chipper, but it's just not good for the blades on the chipper because it could possibly damage them or tear them up."
Residents can also take flocked Christmas trees - those covered in fake snow - to the yard waste facility at 2417 Southridge Drive for free. The facility also grinds those trees into mulch.
The facility is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays from Dec. 1 through March 15. The building is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. Sundays from March 16 through Nov. 30.
For property owners who do not live within Jefferson City limits, it costs $15 to use the yard waste facility.
The state Conservation Department's website also notes residents could place natural Christmas trees in their backyards for wildlife or put them in ponds for fish habitats.