CHRISTMAS TREES BEING RECYCLED

Christmas trees can give something back to the environment.

The holiday season has come and gone, and many residents are involved in disposing of the more than 33 million Christmas trees that were purchased in the U.S.

The city dump is out. Legislation passed more than five years ago prohibits Christmas trees and yard wastes from being put in landfills.

But there are some good uses for old trees.

Cape Girardeans can haul its trees to a special site in Arena Park where they will be recycled by being used for fish habitat in area ponds and lakes or ground into landscaping mulch that will be made available to residents.

Before recycling, Christmas trees can attract winter birds to the yard, especially when placed near a regular feeding station. Suet and seed attached to the trees provides winter food.

When set up or tied in an upright position, they can provide security for visiting birds. The birds will often fly to the tree prior to moving to the feeder. In this way they can safely observe the area and check for the presence of predators. Likewise, the closely spaced branches can provide emergency escape cover if a predator should show up.

There are some other uses.

Some trees are used to make effective soil erosion barriers along river banks.

For each Christmas tree harvested in the U.S., two to three new trees are planted. There are approximately 1 million acres in production for growing Christmas trees in the U.S.

In Cape Girardeau, the drop-off point for old Christmas trees is in south Arena Park at Spartech and Optimist Drive. The area is marked by ropes, and there is no charge for leaving the trees. The drop-off site is open through Jan. 29, said Pam Sander of the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department.

There is another option for Cape Girardeans.

"City residents may request a special pickup," said Sander. "Trees can be picked up at curbside for a $5 fee."

Residents must call the solid-waste division of the public works department at 335-9151 for pickup. The first Wednesday pickup is this week.

The solid-waste division will pick up a "reasonable" extra amount of holiday debris this week, excluding Christmas trees.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will use some of the trees taken to Arena Park for fish habitat in area lakes, including Boutin Lake in Trail of Tears State Park.

Christmas trees also may be dropped off at two sites in the Wappapello Lake area for use as fish shelters in Wappapello Lake. The Corps of Engineers has established two collection points at Wappapello -- at Chaonia Landing and Holiday Landing. Trees may be dropped off there through Sunday.