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Where and How To Get Rid of That Christmas Tree? A Number of Options Exist for High Country Residents

A Christmas tree on the curb waits to be taken away. Photo by Ken Ketchie
A Christmas tree on the curb waits to be taken away. Photo by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

Jan. 5, 2015. Now that the holidays have come and gone, it’s about time to get rid of that Christmas tree. Depending on where you live in the High Country, a number of options exist.

Town of Boone

The town’s Facilities Maintenance Division began picking up curbside Christmas trees for residents last Friday and will continue to do so until Jan. 15. Note that trees that are free of decorations, wires and nails must be placed curbside on regular trash collection day. See what day is your collection here.

Town of Banner Elk

Banner Elk doesn’t have a Christmas tree collection program. For residents within town limits, the town contracts with Republic Services, which doesn’t pick up Christmas trees. A representative of Republic Services directs customers to take their Christmas trees to the Avery County landfill.

Town of Blowing Rock

Staff with Blowing Rock’s Public Works Department will be disposing of Christmas trees for the next two weeks. Collection began today, and Public Works Director Mike Wilcox said that trees must be placed curbside.

“We’ll be glad to get it from them. We’ve got the chipper truck out and got it going by and chipping them up. It’ll run for a couple weeks,” Wilcox said on Monday.

Watauga County

Watauga County will collect Christmas trees at the transfer station located at 336 Landfill Road off of U.S. 421 in Eastern Watauga. A staff member with Watauga County’s Solid Waste and Recycling division said that Christmas trees won’t count against tonnage.

Avery County

No one answered multiple phone calls to the Avery County’s Solid Waste office on Monday.

Recycling Your Christmas Tree

NWF Staffer Mollie Simon insulated her garden and made a decorative wreath with her family’s tree. Courtesy National Wildlife Federation
NWF Staffer Mollie Simon insulated her garden and made a decorative wreath with her family’s tree. Courtesy National Wildlife Federation

The N.C. Christmas Tree Association linked to a story on the National Wildlife Federation website about recycling trees in a manner that benefit local wildlife. The four ways include using the tree as a foundation for a brush pile; composting the tree and using the boughs to cover a garden bed; decorating the tree for wildlife; and donating the tree to a local restoration project.

For more details, click here to read the entire story.

The National Christmas Tree Association also offers ideas on how to recycle Christmas trees. Recycling ideas include mulching the tree for a garden or paving a hiking trail; using trees as soil-erosion barriers along waterways; and as fish and bird feeders. Another idea for next year is to get a rooted tree and then re-plant it after Christmas. See this entire post by the National Christmas Tree Association.