KNIB offering tree recycling at several locations in Winnebago County

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful invites area residents to recycle their live Christmas trees.

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful invites area residents to recycle their live Christmas trees at the end of the holiday season to benefit the environment.

A tree dropped off at any one of 12 area locations will be turned into mulch for free pickup on a first-come first-served basis while supplies last.

Participants need not be Rockford residents to drop off trees or pick up free mulch. This kind of “tree-cycling” not only conserves valuable landfill space, it also allows vital nutrients to return to the soil and helps beautify the landscape

Trees can be dropped off Jan. 1-15. Free mulch will be available while supplies last or until the end of February. Bring your own containers and tools to gather mulch. Any extra mulch will be cleared away March 1 for use in parks, municipalities, and tree farms.

Trees dropped at the following four locations will be taken to 523 S. Central in Rockford where they will be turned into mulch and anyone can collect that mulch for free:

Alpine Park, 950 S. Alpine Road, Rockford

Andrews Park, 800 North Central, Rockford

Gambino Park, 4421 Pepper Drive, Rockford

Levings Lake, 1420 S. Pierpont Avenue, Rockford (east entrance, S. Johnston Ave. at Montague)

The following sites are places where trees can be dropped off and free mulch from those trees will be available for pickup:

Bauman Park, South Walnut Street, Cherry Valley (daylight hours only)

Davis Village Hall, 104 West McKimmy Street, Davis

Martin Park, 5600 Park Ridge Road, Loves Park (northeast parking lot, south of Riverside)

Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, 4550 N. Pecatonica Road, Pecatonica (near picnic area)

Rockton Boat Ramp, 830 East Main Street, Rockton (parking area opposite the ballfield)

Sandy Hollow Golf Course, 2670 Sandy Hollow Road, Rockford

Schoonmaker Park, 10500 Ventura Boulevard, Machesney Park

Valley View Farms, 6440 Belvidere Road, Roscoe

To prepare your tree for recycling, remove all wires, ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, and decorations. Wreaths, flocked trees, artificial trees, and tree stands cannot be recycled at these locations and will not be accepted.

Pine mulch is excellent for landscaping around acid-loving plants such as roses, lilacs, azaleas, and evergreens.