'TreeCycle' community partnership keeps unsold Christmas trees from landfill

Geneva Park District is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva's Green Sanctuary Team to provide Geneva area retailers an alternative to placing unsold Christmas trees in dumpsters and ultimately the landfill.

The project, named "TreeCycle," has a dual purpose. The main objective is to keep trees out of landfills. The secondary benefit is the resulting mulch that is placed throughout Geneva parks.

Carl Gorra, Superintendent of Parks and Properties at the Geneva Park District, formed a partnership with the Green Sanctuary team in 2021.

For the second year, local tree retailers will be visited/contacted by volunteers of the Green Sanctuary team.

In partnership with the Geneva Park District, they will offer to take unsold trees and trimmings.

When sales are complete, the park district will go to the retailer's site and chip them up.

As for program results in the first year, Gorra shared, "In 2021, we were happy to keep more than 300 trees out of the landfills, having turned them into a healthy mulch for our oak trees in the parks. We look forward to another successful year in what really is a win/win situation."

Local retailers are welcome to contact the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva to participate in this endeavor. The hope is not to miss anyone, and to keep this an annual offering.

If your business would like to take advantage of this free service for the community, contact greensanctuary@uusg.org.