City officials from Salem, Centralia, and Carlyle are offering options for community members to get rid of their live Christmas trees from this past Christmas season.
Salem is offering city residents free disposal of live undecorated Christmas trees. Trees must be placed curbside on your normal Tuesday or Thursday composite day starting January 6th. This service will be available until January 29th.
The City of Centralia is offering city residents free disposal of live undecorated Christmas trees starting January 2nd. Local Residents may drop of their trees at the south gate of the public works building located at 115 E. 5th St, Monday – Friday, from 8am-3pm between January 2nd and the 23rd.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Carlyle Lake Project is now accepting trees, all the way until march 1st. trees can be delivered to the following locations: Plant Land (on Old Route 50 east of Breese), Allen Branch boat ramp, and the little Prairie nature trail parking lot in the west spillway Recreation Area. Please ensure all decorations are removed.
All three cities are partnering with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the trees to be used in lakes for fish habitats.
Each spring, volunteers from various conservation minded organizations and individuals work together to submerge the recycled trees into the lake as fish shelters. For more information on the Carlyle tree project or to volunteer for the tree placement in the spring, contact the Carlyle Lake Project Office at (618) 594-2484 or email carlyle.lake@usace.army.mil.
