The city of Tucson’s TreeCycle program for Christmas trees begins Saturday, Dec. 26, and continues through Jan. 12, 2016, at nine sites around the area.
The city won’t collect Christmas trees from curbs and alleys.
Another option: Check out tips from The Humane Society of the United States for “repurposing” your holiday tree to benefit animals and the environment.
TreeCycle sites
Lights, ornaments and tree stands should be removed from trees before dropping them off at these sites during daylight hours, seven days a week:
- Oro Valley lot, 660 W. Naranja Drive
- Rillito Racetrack, 4502 N. First Ave., east parking lot (follow signs)
- Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road., south of ball fields (follow signs)
- Golf Links Sports Complex, northwest of Craycroft and Golf Links roads
- Tucson Rodeo Grounds, northeast of Irvington Road and 6th Avenue
- Los Reales Landfill, 7164 S. Craycroft Road. Entrance at Craycroft and Los Reales roads (follow signs)
- Silverbell site, northeast of Goret and Silverbell roads (follow signs)
- Purple Heart Park, southeast corner of Rita Road and Esmond Loop
- Randolph Golf Course, 600 S. Alvernon Way, southeast portion of parking lot
Information is available by calling 791-5000.
Utilize trees
The Humane Society offers these tips for using your tree to help animals and the environment:
- Stand the tree near bird feeders for added cover for birds. Have kids make birdie edibles to adorn the tree. Among the possibilities: Cover pine cones with peanut butter and dip them in birdseed or sunflower seeds.
- Have a natural pond or lake? Sink the tree to create fish habitat.
- Use the tree as a base for a teepee-style brush pile. Remove the limbs to add to an existing brush pile.
- Lay the tree in the yard to provide a wildlife shelter or a habitat for beneficial insects.
- Turn the tree into mulch. Let the tree dry out so the needles fall off, and rake the needles up for mulch. If you own or have access to a wood chipper, you can grind the trunk, too. Spread the mulch around to feed acid-loving plants and to provide a home for shrews, which don’t live in burrows so much as in litter and decaying plant matter.
