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NYC Annual Mulchfest Program Underway As Alternative To Putting Christmas Trees On The Curb

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Some people can't wait and want to get rid of their Christmas tree right now.

Well, the New York City Parks Department is offering to take it off your hands right now for free and even give you some mulch in return as part of its annual Mulchfest program, CBSN New York's Christina Fan reported Thursday.

The most wonderful time of the year may be coming to an end, but there is a way to make something productive out of your old, dried-up tree.

Mulchfest started Thursday across the city and goes on until Jan. 11. The Parks Department's annual tradition allows families to drop off their holiday tree, which is then chipped, recycled, and used to nourish greenery throughout the city.

More than 28,000 trees were recycled last year.

If you want some of the spoils, 32 of the 67 drop-off sites will turn your tree into mulch for you to take home. Those events will be held the first two Saturdays in January.

If you can't make it out to one of the Mulchfest locations, the Department of Sanitation is offering curbside collection of Christmas trees, from Jan. 6-17. The city is asking for "naked" trees only, meaning no bags, stands or decorations. Trees that meet those standards will be recycled and turned into compost for city parks and community gardens.

As for fake trees, the city is encouraging residents to reuse or donate them.

List Of Mulchfest Locations

  • The Bronx: Brook Park Youth Farm - East 141st Street and Brook Avenue (Chipping)
  • The Bronx: Co-Op City - Co-Op Boulevard and Bellamy Loop (Drop-off only)
  • The Bronx: Metropolitan Oval Parkchester - Metropolitan Avenue and Unionport Road (Chipping)
  • The Bronx: Pelham Bay Park - Parking lot at Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • The Bronx: Soundview Park - Story Avenue and Morrison Avenue (Chipping)
  • The Bronx: St. James Park - West 192nd Street and Jerome Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • The Bronx: Van Cortlandt Park - Golf course at Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South (Chipping)
  • The Bronx: Williamsbridge Oval Park - Reservoir Place and Reservoir Oval (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Amazing Garden - 261 Columbia Street (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Brooklyn Bridge Park - Plymouth Street and Adams Street (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights Promenade - Columbia Heights and Cranberry Street (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Brower Park - Brooklyn Avenue at Prospect Place (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Cobble Hill Park - Clinton Street and Verandah Place (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Coffey Park - Dwight Street and Verona Street (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Fort Greene Park - Washington Park and Myrtle Avenue (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Green Space at President Street - 222 Fifth Ave. (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Herbert Von King Park - Marcy Avenue and Lafayette Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Maria Hernandez Park - Suydam Street and Knickerbocker Avenue (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Marine Park - East 33rd Street and Avenue U (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: McCarren Park - Lorimer Street and Driggs Avenue (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: McGolrick Park - Monitor Street and Driggs Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Owl's Head Park - 68th Street and Colonial Road (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Prospect Park - Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Prospect Park - Park circle at Parkside Avenue (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Prospect Park - Third Street and Prospect Park West (Chipping)
  • Brooklyn: Sunset Park - 44th Street and 6th Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Brooklyn: Washington Park - Third Street and Fifth Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Bennett Park - West 185th Street and Fort Washington Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Bowling Green - South Plaza between Broadway and Whitehall Street (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Carl Schurz Park - East 86th Street and East End Avenue (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: Central Park - East 106th Street and Fifth Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Central Park - West 65th Street and Central Park West (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Central Park - West 81st Street and Central Park West, at the bridle path (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: Corlears Hook Park - Jackson Street and Cherry Street (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Highbridge Park - Dyckman Street and Nagle Avenue (Drop-off Only)
  • Manhattan: Inwood Hill Park - Isham Street and Seaman Avenue (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: J Hood Wright Park - West 173rd Street near Haven Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Marcus Garvey Park - East 120th Street and Madison Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Morningside Park - West 123rd Street and Morningside Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Riverside Park - West 83rd Street and Riverside Drive (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: Stuyvesant Town - East 20th Street at 20th Street Loop (east of First Avenue) (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: Tompkins Square Park - East 7th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B (Chipping)
  • Manhattan: Union Square Park - East 14th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South (Drop-off only)
  • Manhattan: Washington Square Park - Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North (Chipping)
  • Queens: Astoria Park - 19th Street and Hoyt Avenue (Chipping)
  • Queens: Brookville Park - Brookville Boulevard and 143rd Avenue (Chipping)
  • Queens: Captain Mario Fajardo Playground - Kissena Boulevard at Booth Memorial Avenue (Drop-off only)
  • Queens: Cunningham Park - 196th Place and Union Turnpike (Chipping)
  • Queens: Forest Park - Forest Park Drive and Woodhaven Boulevard (Chipping)
  • Queens: Francis Lewis Park - Third Avenue and Whitestone Expressway (Chipping)
  • Queens: Hunter's Point South Park - 51st Avenue and Center Boulevard (Chipping)
  • Queens: Juniper Valley Park - 80th Street between Juniper Boulevard North and South (Chipping)
  • Queens: Queensbridge Park - Vernon Boulevard and Queensbridge Park Greenway (Drop-off only)
  • Queens: Rockaway Beach - 94th Street and Shorefront Parkway (Drop-off only)
  • Queens: Roy Wilkins Park - Park entrance at Merrick Boulevard and Foch Boulevard (Drop-off only)
  • Queens: Travers Park - 78th Street and 34th Avenue (Chipping)
  • Queens: Windmill Community Garden - 39-22 29th Street (Drop-off only)
  • Queens: Windmuller Park at Lawrence Virgilio Playground - 34th Drive and 54th Street (Drop-off only)
  • Staten Island: Clove Lakes Park - Cheshire Place and Clove Road (Chipping)
  • Staten Island: Conference House Park - Parking lot at Hylan Boulevard and Satterlee Street (Chipping)
  • Staten Island: Father Macris Park - Fahy Avenue and Lambert's Lane (Drop-off only)
  • Staten Island: Midland Beach - Parking lot #8 at Father Capodanno Boulevard and Graham Boulevard (Chipping)
  • Staten Island: Silver Lake Tennis House - Revere Street and University Place (Drop-off only)
  • Staten Island: Tappen Park - Bay Street and Canal Street (Drop-off only)
  • Staten Island: Westerleigh Park - Maine Avenue and Neal Dow Avenue (Chipping)
  • Staten Island: Willowbrook Park - Richmond Avenue and Eton Place (Drop-off only)
  • Staten Island: Wolfe's Pond Park - Cornelia Avenue and Hylan Boulevard (Drop-off only)
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