Here’s how to recycle your Christmas tree and pick up free mulch in the Rockford area
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful’s oldest recycling program will take place again after the New Year.
The nonprofit’s annual tree-cycling program allows you to recycle your natural Christmas tree and gather some free mulch for your yard. The program is intended to conserve landfill space and allow nutrients to return to the soil.
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The program runs the first two weeks of the new year. Free mulch will be available while supplies last or until the end of February, when any remaining mulch will be cleared away for use in local parks, tree farms and municipal properties.
Tree drop-off locations
Trees can be dropped off Jan. 1-15 at the locations below. To prepare your tree for recycling, remove all wires, ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags and decorations. Wreaths, flocked trees, artificial trees and tree stands will not be accepted.
- Alpine Park, 950 S. Alpine Road, Rockford
- Andrews Park, 800 North Central Ave., Rockford
- Gambino Park, 4421 Pepper Drive, Rockford
- Levings Lake, 1420 S. Pierpont Ave., Rockford (east entrance, S. Johnston Ave. at Montague)
Locations below also have free mulch available
- Sandy Hollow Golf Course, 2670 Sandy Hollow Road, Rockford
- Martin Park, 5600 Park Ridge Road, Loves Park (northeast parking lot, south of Riverside)
- Bauman Park, South Walnut St., Cherry Valley (daylight hours only)
- Rockton Boat Ramp, 830 East Main St., Rockton (parking area opposite the ballfield)
- Valley View Farms, 6440 Belvidere Road, Roscoe
- Davis Village Hall, 104 West McKimmy St., Davis
- Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, 4550 N. Pecatonica Road, Pecatonica (near picnic area)
- Schoonmaker Park, 10500 Ventura Blvd., Machesney Park
Free mulch from chipped trees will also be available at Rockford City Yard, 523 S. Central in Rockford.
