Here are places you can recycle your Christmas tree in the Rockford area

Chris Green, Rockford Register Star
·2 min read

The holidays have passed and needles from your Christmas tree are probably starting to fall.

If so, the tree may longer be taking in water and is drying out.

If you do not have curbside Christmas tree pick up from your waste collection provider, do not resort to burning evergreen trees in a fireplace or woodstove, which may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.

Instead, residents are asked to dispose of their live trees by recycling them.

Before doing so, remember to remove all decorations, the stand and wires. Also, because of their wire frames, wreaths are not accepted.

Here's a listing of several Rockford area places identified in part by Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful where you can recycle your tree.

More: New Rockford library has 'showstopper' views of Rock River

Winnebago County

Rockford:

  • Alpine Park, 950 S. Alpine Road

  • Andrews Park, 800 N. Central Ave.

  • Gambino Park, 4421 Pepper Dr.

  • Levings Lake, 1420 S. Pierpont Ave. at the east entrance

  • Sandy Hollow Golf Course, 2670 Sandy Hollow Road

Loves Park:

  • Martin Park, 5600 Park Ridge Road, south of Riverside/northeast parking lot

Cherry Valley:

  • Baumann Park, South Walnut Street, daylight hours only

Rockton:

  • Rockton Boat Ramp, near 830 E. Main St., parking area opposite baseball field

Roscoe:

  • Valley View Farms, 6440 Belvidere Road

Pecatonica:

  • Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, 4550 North Pecatonica Road, near picnic area

Harlem Township:

  • Schoonmaker Park, 10500 Ventura Blvd.

Trees can be dropped off at all of the above Winnebago County locations between Jan. 1-15.

Boone County:

  • City of Belvidere Street Department, 515 W. Locust St.

Stephenson County:

  • Public Works Dept.. Freeport City Yards, 1001 N. Island Ave.

  • Read Park, parking lot north of office, Freeport

  • Bidwell Park, 1124 W. Pleasant St., Freeport

Village of Davis:

  • Davis Village Hall, 104 W. McKimmey St.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford area places you can recycle your live Christmas tree