LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Residents can participate in an environmentally-friendly way by disposing of their Christmas trees at the Lancaster County Central Park mulching site between dawn and dusk from Dec. 26 through Jan. 31.
The park mulching program is for Christmas trees only – no other yard waste will be accepted, says Lancaster County Department of Parks & Recreation Trees officials.
Christmas trees must be free of decorations, lights, plastic bags and hardware, including nails in the trunk. There is a three-tree limit per vehicle. Commercial haulers are strongly advised to contact their local municipalities for their respective Christmas tree recycling locations.
There is a suggested donation of $1 for each tree. Donations go towards the operation of the Dr. John Moss Native Tree Nursery in Central Park. Trees from the nursery are utilized throughout the County Park System.
Dr. Moss, a former Professor at Franklin and Marshall College and a founding member of the Lancaster Environmental Action Federation (LEAF), worked to promote the conservation of natural resources for the improvement of the environment of Lancaster County’s public parks and open spaces.
In 2000, LEAF donated funds to the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation for the creation of a nursery in memory of Dr. Moss.
According to park officials, residents drop off about 1,000 Christmas trees each year, which produce tons 15 tons of mulch.
"The Department has been offering this program as long as I can remember. It is a great way to promote environmental stewardship, and the funds received support the future planting of trees," said Park and Recreation Administrator Paul Weiss.
For more information about the Christmas tree mulching program, residents may call the Park Office at (717) 299-8215, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. To learn more about the County Park System, visit www.lancastercountyparks.org.
