Recycling programs helping return Christmas trees to the ground — as mulch for parks and gardens

By Bethany Barnes

Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013 | 2 a.m.

There are a variety of locations to recycle Christmas trees in Southern Nevada.

Recycled trees will be turned into mulch that will be used in public parks and gardens.

Don’t want to lug the tree to a drop-off site? For $30 1-800-GOT-JUNK will pick up the tree and vacuum up lingering pine needles for $30.

Requirements

Only live trees can be recycled. Artificial trees or flocked trees cannot be recycled.

Trees should be stripped of non-organic material such as lights, nails, wires, ornaments, tinsel, etc.

Trees that exceed 5 feet tall should be cut in half.

Here are some of the drop-off sites around the Las Vegas Valley. The sites are available through Jan. 15. The Springs Preserve has a web search to help you find which site is closest to you.

Boulder City

• Bravo Ball Field Parking Lot (corner of Sixth Street and Avenue B)

North Las Vegas

• Aviary Park – 6650 Aviary Way and 215 Beltway

• Cheyenne Sports Complex – 3500 E. Cheyenne Ave. at Pecos Road

• Craig Ranch Golf Course – 628 W. Craig Road at Commerce Street

• Lowe’s: 2570 E. Craig Road

• Seastrand Park – 6330 Camino Eldorado near Centennial Parkway and I-215

Henderson

• Acacia Park – 50 Casa Del Fuego St., I-215 at Gibson

• Anthem Hills Park – 2256 Reunion Drive at Anthem Parkway

• Arroyo Grande Sports Complex, 298 Arroyo Grande Blvd.

• Lowe’s: 1401 S. Boulder Highway

• Lowe’s : 440 Marks St.

• Mission Hills Park – 551 E. Mission Drive at College Drive

• Pecos Legacy Park – 150 Pecos Road

• Whitney Ranch Recreation Center – 1575 Galleria Drive, near Russell Road and Whitney Ranch Drive

• Morrell Park – 500 Harris St. at Basic Road

Las Vegas/Clark County

• Bruce Trent Park – 8851 Vegas Drive, near Rampart Boulevard

• Desert Breeze Park – 8275 Spring Mountain Road at Durango (behind the Community Center)

• Las Vegas Springs Preserve – 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

• Lone Mountain Park – 4445 N. Jensen St., near Helena Avenue

• Lowe’s locations including: 2465 N. Nellis Blvd., 5050 S. Fort Apache Road, 7550 W. Washington, 4625 W. Charleston Blvd., 6050 W. Craig Road, 5825 S. Eastern Ave., 7751 N. El Capitan Way, 2875 E. Charleston Blvd.

• Nevada Division of Forestry Nursery – Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9600 Tule Springs Road, near US 95 North at Durango

• Sunset Park – 2601 E. Sunset Road at Eastern Avenue

• Sunny Springs Park – 7620 Golden Talon Ave. near Elkhorn Road and Farm Road

• UNLV Rebel Recycling Program – Flamingo and Swenson, southeast corner behind three solar dishes/UNLV solar site

Nellis Air Force Base

Recycling Center, Building 461

Southern Highlands

• 12200 Southern Highlands Parkway

Summerlin

• RC Willey – 3850 S. Town Center Drive, Town Center and I-215