County residents can dispose of their Christmas trees in an environmentally friendly way by dropping them at the Lancaster County Central Park mulching site between dawn and dusk through Monday, Jan. 31.
The park mulching program is for Christmas trees only. No other yard waste will be accepted. Trees must be free of decorations, lights, plastic bags and hardware, including nails in the trunk. There is a three-tree limit per vehicle. Commercial haulers are strongly advised to contact their local municipalities for their respective Christmas tree recycling locations.
There is a suggested nominal donation for each tree. Donations will go toward the operation of the Dr. John Moss Native Tree Nursery in Central Park. Trees from the nursery are utilized throughout the county park system.
Moss, a former professor at Franklin & Marshall College and a founding member of the Lancaster Environmental Action Federation (LEAF), worked to promote the conservation of natural resources for the improvement of the environment of Lancaster County's public parks and open spaces. In 2000, LEAF donated funds to the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation for the creation of a nursery in memory of Moss.
According to park officials, residents drop off approximately 1,000 Christmas trees each year, which produce 15 tons of mulch. The mulch is ideal for acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas and for many deciduous ornamental trees and shrubs that require slightly acidic soil conditions. The mulch will be available to residents on a first-come, first-served basis after Thursday, Jan. 6, near the tree drop-off site. Persons desiring free mulch should bring a pitchfork or shovel and a bag or a trailer to transport it home.
For more information about the Christmas tree mulching program, residents may call the park office at 717-299-8215 on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. To learn more about the Lancaster County park system, visit http://www.lancastercountyparks.org.
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