Here are places you can recycle your Christmas tree in the Rockford area
The holidays have passed and needles from your Christmas tree are probably starting to fall.
If so, the tree may longer be taking in water and is drying out.
If you do not have curbside Christmas tree pick up from your waste collection provider, do not resort to burning evergreen trees in a fireplace or woodstove, which may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
Instead, residents are asked to dispose of their live trees by recycling them.
Before doing so, remember to remove all decorations, the stand and wires. Also, because of their wire frames, wreaths are not accepted.
Here's a listing of several Rockford area places identified in part by Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful where you can recycle your tree.
More: New Rockford library has 'showstopper' views of Rock River
Winnebago County
Rockford:
Alpine Park, 950 S. Alpine Road
Andrews Park, 800 N. Central Ave.
Gambino Park, 4421 Pepper Dr.
Levings Lake, 1420 S. Pierpont Ave. at the east entrance
Sandy Hollow Golf Course, 2670 Sandy Hollow Road
Loves Park:
Martin Park, 5600 Park Ridge Road, south of Riverside/northeast parking lot
Cherry Valley:
Baumann Park, South Walnut Street, daylight hours only
Rockton:
Rockton Boat Ramp, near 830 E. Main St., parking area opposite baseball field
Roscoe:
Valley View Farms, 6440 Belvidere Road
Pecatonica:
Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, 4550 North Pecatonica Road, near picnic area
Harlem Township:
Schoonmaker Park, 10500 Ventura Blvd.
Trees can be dropped off at all of the above Winnebago County locations between Jan. 1-15.
Boone County:
City of Belvidere Street Department, 515 W. Locust St.
Stephenson County:
Public Works Dept.. Freeport City Yards, 1001 N. Island Ave.
Read Park, parking lot north of office, Freeport
Bidwell Park, 1124 W. Pleasant St., Freeport
Village of Davis:
Davis Village Hall, 104 W. McKimmey St.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford area places you can recycle your live Christmas tree