2023 Holiday Tree Recycling
NOTE: This article has been archived and may not be up to date.
Chicago's Holiday Tree Recycling events return starting Saturday, January 7th at 26 parks across the city!
Why tree recycling is good for the planet
Trees collected at the Holiday Tree Recycling events are turned into mulch. Mulching trees is far more earth-friendly than sending them to landfills. By foregoing the landfill, your tree won't be rotting away releasing greenhouse gas emissions or taking up landfill space; instead, the mulch it creates will be used to benefit plants and soil at local parks and forests.
Events run from Jan. 7th - 22nd, 2023
Chicago's Tree Recycling Program runs from January 7th - 22nd at 26 parks across the City. Trees can be dropped off anytime during normal park hours.
Only live/natural trees without flocking are accepted. Garlands and wreaths are not accepted. Because the trees are turned into mulch, all tinsel, ornaments, lights, and stands must be removed. Plastic bags used for transport should also be removed before putting trees into the stalls.
The following six locations will also provide free mulch on a first-come, first-served basis, starting Monday, January 9th: Lincoln Park, Margate Park, Mt. Greenwood Park, North Park Village, Warren Park, and the Forestry Site.
*Star = mulch available beginning Monday, Jan. 9
Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
*Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave
Jackson Park Fieldhouse Parking Lot, off S. Cornell Ave.
Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
*Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (East side of Cannon Dr.)
Mahalia Jackson Park, 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave.
*Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.
*Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
*North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
Norwood Park, 5800 N Avondale Ave. (Service Yard)
Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L
Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
Walsh Park, 1722 N. Ashland Ave.
*Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.
West Chatham Park, 8223 S. Princeton Ave.
Onward and Upward
In 2020, 22,236 Christmas trees were mulched through the Holiday Tree Recycling events, a whopping 25% increase over the previous year. That's equal to diverting approximately 775,000 pounds from landfills.
Way to be, Chicago!
Help spread the word about the Tree Recycling program and consider taking a neighbor's tree along too if you have space. Let's make 2023 the program's most successful year yet!
You might also enjoy:
Free Mulch. Why You Want It & Where to Get It - Where to score free mulch all year round.
Chicago Recycling Quiz - A two-minute crash course to becoming an excellent Chicago Recycler.
sources:
National Christmas Tree Association
City of Chicago
Chicago Park District
Updated: Dec 20, 2023
