With supply chain impacts boosting the price of almost everything this year — including Christmas trees — residents are asked to make the most of their holiday investment by recycling their tree instead of tossing it in the trash. 

Recycling Christmas trees is a gift to the community that will keep on giving, and it’s easy. The Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee, a partnership of local businesses and community agencies, manages more than 30 convenient drop-off locations throughout Southern Nevada. 

The program runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 15, and recycled trees will be chipped into mulch and used in public gardens and parks across the community. 

More than 18,000 trees were recycled last year, creating nearly 157 tons of nutrient-rich mulch, and local landfill volume was spared the equivalent of 10 school buses (2,261 cubic yards). Since the community program began in 2001, almost 280,000 trees — an astonishing 2,368 tons — have been recycled. 

“Southern Nevadans came through in a big way in 2020 with a near record number of trees recycled into needed organic material to keep our parks looking beautiful,” said Tara Pike-Nordstrom, UNLV recycling manager and member of the Christmas Tree Recycling Committee. “Recycling trees is an easy way to give back to the community, and the mulch created and spread at local parks conserves soil moisture, helps with dust control, and keeps plants and trees healthy year-round.”

The Southern Nevada Christmas Tree Recycling Committee is a partnership of local businesses and community agencies, including UNLV’s Rebel Recycling program and the Springs Preserve.

Drop-off Locations

Cut Christmas trees may be dropped off at more than 30 Clark County locations. Visit the Springs Preserve website to find the closest drop-off location.  

Mulch from cut trees will also be available for free to community members at several valley locations: 

• Pecos Legacy Park, Acacia Park, Capriola Park and Discovery Park from Dec. 28 to Jan. 14. Open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Bring your own shovels and containers)
• University of Nevada Cooperative Extension  will have mulch available for pickup at its North Las Vegas Research Center and Demonstration Orchard (4600 Horse Dr., NLV 89131) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and at its Lifelong Learning Center (8050 Paradise Rd., LV 89123) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

How to prepare your tree for recycling

• Remove all non-organic materials such as lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, nails, tree stands and any other materials that are not part of the tree.
• Flocked (sprayed with artificial snow) trees cannot be recycled.
• Trees more than 5 feet tall should be cut in half.

Residents unable to drop their tree at one of the Southern Nevada sites can contact the local company Move It, and for $25 they’ll pick up and recycle your tree. Visit gomoveit.com or download the app to learn more, and use the code Tree25 to secure the discounted rate.  

For more information, contact Tara Pike-Nordstom at (702) 895-3760 or tara.pike@unlv.edu.