BREWER — The holidays have come and gone, and that means Mainers who picked out their own live tree this year have to decide what to do with it.
Portland, Saco and Bangor offer curbside pickup.
Meanwhile, Brewer residents can drop off their natural Christmas trees on the Wilson Street side of the city’s auditorium through Jan. 12 at any time of the day.
“We picked up probably three wheeler-loads of Christmas trees [Monday],” said David Cote, Brewer’s director of public works.
The city of Bangor began tree pickup Jan. 5. Bangor residents can also take their trees to the organic waste yard at 530 Maine Ave. from 7 a.m. until sunset, seven days a week.
Down in Portland, there are three drop-off locations throughout the city at Cutter Street Parking Lot, Payson Park and the Riverside Golf Course.
Other cities and towns also have drop-off locations or direct residents to a local landfill. It’s important to check with your local municipality for more information, because not all regions offer pickup.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension also shared some tips for Mainers with a natural tree.
Brewer Public Works employee Hunter Merrithew begins dismantling a public Christmas tree. (Spectrum news/David Ledford)
According to the extension, trees can also be chipped into mulch, donated to farms to feed livestock or otherwise repurposed.
“With landowner permission, you may leave your tree in the woods or near your bird feeder to provide shelter for songbirds,” a UMaine Cooperative Extension post reads, in part.
However, Christmas trees should never be burned indoors, according to the extension.
And no matter what you do with it, it’s essential that the tree is free of lights, tinsel and decorations of any kind.
“Make sure you don’t leave them in the plastic bags,” said Cote. “And don’t leave ornaments on them.”
“We just want the wood that can be properly recycled and reused,” he added.