Let’s all “Chip In” and recycle our Christmas trees this year!

When the holiday season ends, you may be wondering what to do with your (live) Christmas tree? Here are your SUSTAINABLE options:

For those who have the capacity, it is recommended to leave your tree in your backyard for the rest of the winter, to benefit the backyard wildlife. When the snow melts and the needles are gone, you can speed up the decomposition process by cutting off the branches and placing them over flowerbeds and placing the trunk over soil.

Aurora Farm, located in St. Norbert, is collecting Christmas trees and feeding them to their goats! You can drop your tree off at the farm and watch the animals from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle.

You can also drop your tree off at one of the City of Winnipeg’s “Lets Chip In” depots for it to be recycled into wood chips and/or composted! Keep in mind the tree needs to be bare, so remove all the decorations and tinsel before dropping it off.

Can I save my Christmas tree until spring and place it out for my yard waste collection?
Yes, you can bundle your Christmas tree for yard waste collection. The bundle must be no longer than one metre (39 inches) and contain small branches (no more than 10 cm or 4 inches in diameter).

Can I request a large item pickup for my Christmas tree?
No, the city does not accept trees in their large item collection program.

*Please consider the environment this holiday season by avoiding disposing of your tree via the garbage cart. Aside from taking up precious space, organics in the landfill emit methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than  CO_2. Instead, choose to chip or compost your tree!

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