How it usually works
Every January, local cities and waste haulers collect Christmas trees for free. Trees are chipped into mulch or compost rather than going to the landfill. Exact dates change every year, so check your city’s or hauler’s announcement in late December. The details below are based on how these programs have run in past years.
Getting your tree ready
- Remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, hooks and the stand
- Take off any plastic netting or tree bag
- Cut large trees into shorter pieces if your program asks for it
- Flocked (fake-snow) trees aren’t accepted in some areas, so check first
Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, its cities and the local waste haulers run a joint holiday tree program each January. It has included curbside pickup on regular garbage days, plus drop-off bins at many fire stations, including mountain stations in places like Felton, Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek. In unincorporated areas, trees have needed to be cut into short lengths for curbside pickup, and flocked trees haven’t been accepted. Check the County of Santa Cruz Public Works recycling pages each December for this year’s dates and locations.
City of Santa Cruz
The City of Santa Cruz has offered free curbside tree pickup on regular collection days in early January, with long trees cut down to size. Residents have also been able to drop trees off at the city’s Resource Recovery Facility on Dimeo Lane. Check the city’s Public Works site for this year’s schedule.
Los Gatos
In Los Gatos, West Valley Collection & Recycling has collected holiday trees alongside regular yard waste for a few weeks after Christmas. Set the tree out on your usual collection day, a little away from your carts. Call West Valley Collection & Recycling at (408) 283-9250 or check their website for this year’s dates and rules.
Other ways to reuse a tree
If you have the space, cut off the branches and lay them over garden beds as winter mulch, or chip the trunk for paths. Never burn a Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove: the dry needles and sap can flare up and cause chimney fires.