Recycling your Christmas tree

Christmas Tree-cycling is becoming a natural part of the way Putnam, Parke and Montgomery county residents give back to Mother Earth.

By recycling their trees, residents help divert landfill-bound Christmas trees to fish and wildlife habitats, erosion control, and mulch for flower beds and trees.

Please remove all decorations and do not put in plastic bags. No artificial trees should be included.

The West Central Solid Waste District encourages residents to recycle real Christmas Trees free of charge from Dec. 26-Jan. 31 at the following locations:

Putnam County/Greencastle Yard Waste Site -- 2363 S CR 200 West, just past County Highway Department/DePauw Nature Center.

Lieber State Recreation Area -- Office parking lot, 1317 W. Lieber R., State Road 243, near park entrance.

Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area -- Nine miles east of Rockville on U.S. 36 (follow signs in park).

Rockville Lake Park: -- 828 N. Marshall Rd. (look for sign a half-mile south of the main park entrance).

Crawfordsville -- Yard waste drop-off site, 1109 N. Whitlock Ave.

Anyone wanting to use the trees collected at the Greencastle site for their pond, lake or to stop erosion on their property may call the district office at 653-2150 or 800-211-2750.

All other trees will be used by the park or the community affiliated with the collection site.