Photos by JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

An artificial Christmas tree is disposed of Saturday at the Montvale Convenience Center in Bedford County. Natural ones can be reused.

Kevin Loope of Montvale throws part of an artificial Christmas tree into a receptacle Saturday in Bedford County.

Bill Smith's Christmas tree may help enrich someone's garden this spring.

Smith recycled his tree at one of Bedford County's convenience centers. From there, the trees will be mulched and made available to county residents to use, county employees said.

With the holidays over, residents are cleaning up and clearing out seasonal decorations. They also can make sure that their natural Christmas trees get the chance to be reused.

Across the region, residents have the opportunity to recycle their trees, such as by donating them to a park or through community programs that turn the trees into mulch for gardens and landscaping.

Smith, of Bedford County, took his tree to the Chamblissburg Convenience Center, a place where residents can drop off recyclables. He also works at the center. Bedford County is accepting natural Christmas trees for recycling until Friday at certain convenience centers, such as the one at Chamblissburg.

Smith said his decision to recycle his tree was done to help save space in a landfill. Also, he said he likes the idea that the trees are turned into mulch, which then can be used in flower beds.

Ray Ratcliffe, who works at the Montvale Convenience Center, said county residents also can drop off cedar wreaths in the tree recycling.

Ratcliffe said he's not sure how many natural trees will be collected.

"I think a lot of people are going to the artificial [trees]," he said.

In Blacksburg, residents can donate live Christmas trees -- balled and wrapped in burlap -- to Blacksburg Parks and Recreation to be planted in town parks. Crews will pick up the tree and plant it.

John Boyer, the town's horticulturist, said the effort is a way to make efficient use of landfill space.

"Anytime that you can keep a compostable product out of the landfill, that's a good thing," Boyer said.

Area residents also can send their natural trees to sleep with the fishes through the program at Claytor Lake State Park in Dublin, where 300 Christmas trees are needed by Jan. 27. The donated trees will be used to create reef structures for game fish.

Trees can be dropped off at the park marina near the kiosk and trees must be free of lights, tinsel and ornaments. Only natural trees are accepted.

Where to recycle

The following are recycling or pickup programs in the region for natural Christmas trees:

Roanoke — Residents can put their trees in with the normal curbside waste pickup.

Bedford County — The county is accepting natural Christmas trees for recycling from now until Friday at the following centers.
For more information, call 586-7656

-- Blackwater Convenience Center, 2477 Blackwater Road, Forest
-- Boonsboro Convenience Center, 100 Tamar Lane, Lynchburg
-- Chamblissburg Convenience Center, 1048 Morgans Mill Road, Goodview
-- Forest Convenience Center, 16169 Forest Road, Forest
-- Goode Convenience Center, 1242 Pilgrim Road, Goode
-- Moneta Convenience Center, 12341 Moneta Road, Moneta
-- Montvale Convenience Center, 1075 Beale Trail Road, Montvale
-- Otterville Convenience Center,  1718 Jopling  Road, Bedford
-- Stone Mountain Convenience Center, 1832 Radford Church Road, Moneta

County residents can also take natural trees to the Bedford County landfill at 1060 Recycle Road in Bedford.

Franklin County — Residents can take trees to the landfill at 9340 Virgil H. Goode Highway, Rocky Mount.

Vinton — Trees will be collected with curbside trash pickup from now to Jan. 31.

Christiansburg — Trees will be picked up between Monday and Jan. 11 on garbage routes.

Blacksburg — Residents can donate live trees to Blacksburg Parks and Recreation to be planted in town parks. To donate, call 961-1135. Also, Christmas tree curbside collection is available to all town refuse and recycling customers. Residents need to place their trees at the curb before 7 a.m. on Jan. 11 to ensure pickup. Trees and greenery must be free of all decorations and wire. For more information, e-mail recycle@blacksburg.gov or call 961-1142.

Claytor Lake State Park — Residents can donate natural Christmas trees to be used to create fish reef structures for game fish. Drop off trees at the park marina near the kiosk. Trees must be free of lights, tinsel and ornaments. Also, people who are interested in volunteering for the reef placement on Jan. 27 should call the park office at  643-2500.

Staff writer Anna L. Mallory contributed to this report.