Fortunately, most municipalities now have recycling programs for green waste, making it easier for homeowners to recycle their used Xmas tree. Recyclers grind or shred trees into a mulch which is then composted and eventually becomes available as a bulk or bagged mulch product. This is certainly a preferable option than the “old days” when trees were commingled with regular trash and buried in landfill sites.
If you have a large tree, prune off some branches and reduce the overall size to ensure local curbside pickup. If you have the room on your property, you can do your own recycling via a compost bin, pile or simply leaving the tree in an area where it will slowly decompose on its own. Leaving a tree whole may also become home to birds and other animals for shelter or nesting site. Make sure all tinsel and other decorations have been removed from the tree.
If you have a live tree, it can be re-planted into the outdoor landscape. Remember, depending on the variety of pine tree, these are typically large growing trees. Despite the small size now, ten to twenty years down the road, you may have a forty to sixty foot tall tree. I have seen this issue while consulting on residential sites where a neighbors Xmas tree planted near the property line grew to fifty-five feet, with limbs and roots encroaching into the clients property, damaging concrete improvements and posing an increased safety risk. If you are going to re-plant the tree, make sure you have the space for a large pine tree to grow, avoid planting near property lines, driveways, sidewalks and patios.
For more information about Xmas tree recycling, check out this article at: