STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The NYC Parks Department is encouraging New Yorkers to recycle their holiday trees at various Mulchfest drop-off sites across the five boroughs instead of tossing them to the curb.
On Tuesday, Jan. 6, NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, State Sen. Brian Kavanagh and other city officials chipped holiday trees in Washington Square Park to promote the upcoming Mulchfest’s Chipping Weekend.
Mulchfest Chipping Weekend 
The two-decade tradition returns with Chipping Weekend on Jan. 10-11, allowing participants to receive mulch made from their own trees at dozens of locations across the five boroughs.Courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila
Mulchfest Chipping Weekend will take place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 10-11, giving individuals the chance to have their trees chipped into mulch.
Participants who bring their tree to a chipping site will receive their own bag of mulch—a ‘tree-mento’—created from their tree to reuse in their backyards or to make a winter bed for a street tree.
“Mulchfest is one of New York City’s favorite sustainability traditions, and last year New Yorkers showed up in a big way by chipping over 52,000 trees,” said Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, NYC Parks commissioner.
If New Yorkers can’t attend chipping sites during Mulchfest Chipping Weekend, they bring their holiday trees to 76 drop-off locations citywide, including sites on Staten Island.
There, they can snap a family photo and say goodbye to their tree before it’s recycled.
Staten Island Sites
Drop-off locations on Staten Island include Silver Lake Tennis House, Wolfe’s Pond Park, Tappen Park and Willowbrook Park.
Chipping sites on Staten Island include Clove Lakes Park, Conference House Park, Midland Beach and Westerleigh Park.
Other Mulchfest drop-off sites
Across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, there are multiple drop-off locations and chipping sites in parks and community gardens. For a full list of sites visit the NYC Parks website.
Rodriguez-Rosa joined by city officials to demonstrate tree chipping process that supports community gardens and parks while promoting environmental responsibility.Courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila
For more than two decades, Parks has collected and mulched trees to support planting beds and community gardens across the city.
In 2025, the city chipped more than 52,000 trees, creating sustainable mulch used throughout parks, community gardens and city institutions.
“Turning holiday trees into valuable mulch not only supports our parks year-round, but it allows us to come together to practice sustainability and environmental responsibility,” Rodriguez-Rosa said. “Let’s make Mulchfest 2026 one to remember.”