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(Chillicothe) – Safety Service Director, Jeff Carman, has announced the City of Chillicothe will provide Christmas tree pickup service to city residents beginning January 3, 2023 and ending January 31, 2023.
Christmas trees will be picked up on the same day as your regular garbage. Trees must be live (no artificial trees) and must have all decorations and stands removed or city crews will not take them. The trees should be placed in front of your residence and not blocking streets or sidewalks. Do NOT place trees in the street.
City residents can also drop their trees off at the City Park Annex. This site is open 7am-5pm daily.
The City of Chillicothe will once again be partnering with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to re-purpose the trees for fish and wildlife habitat.
Recycled live-cut Christmas trees are used as fish habitat in both public and private waters. Christmas trees are donated to the Division of Wildlife by community recycling and drop-off programs. The trees are bundled together and weighted down so they sink to the bottom, attracting fish and providing cover.
Sunken trees provide structure for many baitfish, which in turn attract sport fish. Decomposing trees also feed zooplankton, which provide food for aquatic invertebrates and attract larger fish. Private pond owners may also want to consider repurposing trees to add habitat to their ponds. Many species are attracted to this dense cover, including crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass.
Each winter, Christmas trees are placed at select wildlife areas and public lakes around Ohio, which vary year to year. An interactive lake map showing where trees are placed as fish attractors is available at wildohio.gov. Anglers can target these spots, which are often productive for both panfish and their larger predators.
A live-cut Christmas tree can also be recycled as the centerpiece of a wildlife-friendly brush pile. Place the tree in a selected location and stack limbs around it in a square arrangement, layering more brush until a desired height is reached. Cover the top with additional brush to create a unique and valuable shelter for small animals.
Songbirds, including cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and wrens travel in and out of brush piles for food, nesting, and to escape predators. Small mammals, such as rabbits and chipmunks, also use brush piles for shelter and raising young. Brush piles are valuable shelter for overwintering insects like bees, moths, and butterflies, as well.
Live-cut Christmas trees are also useful as compost, mulch, and more.
If you should have any questions, contact the Service Department by calling (740) 773-2700 or by email to jeffrey.carman@chillicotheoh.gov.
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