In an effort to keep discarded Christmas trees out of landfills and off the sides of roads, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the state Division of Natural Resources are sponsoring their sixth annual tree recycling event in 2011.
On Jan. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the DEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) will accept used live Christmas trees at the Capitol Market in downtown Charleston. The DNR will use the collected trees to create fish habitats at the bottom of lakes and streams throughout West Virginia.
REAP’s Sandy Rogers said the recycling event gets bigger every year in terms of the number of trees collected after the holidays. Last year, close to 450 trees were dropped off at the Capitol Market.
Those who donate trees will receive a free gift and can register for more prizes, including West Virginia skiing trips. For more information, contact Rogers at 304-926-0499, ext. 1004 or email Sandra.D.Rogers@wv.gov.