When the festivities have come and gone, you may be wondering, what can do I with my Christmas tree?
This may be top of mind for those who live in Edmonton, as it was just announced that the City of Edmonton will no longer offer curbside pickup of Christmas trees in January 2026. If you need some direction on what to do with your real Christmas trees come January, we’ve got some ideas for you!
Waste Disposal Options
Keep for future yard and garden projects
Brush piles in a garden provide refuge to local wildlife. Photo by Conneticut Government
Reduce your holiday waste by choosing to reuse your Christmas tree in multiple ways.
Make a brush pile in the corner of your yard for birds – in following years, this pile could be refuge for insects, including pollinators.
Create a festive outdoor winter display – add weather-resistant décor that will last until the snow melts.
Use for firewood or mulch once the tree starts to lose its needles.
Donate, but ask first!
Christmas trees can provide enrichment to zoo animals. Photo by Chicago Zoological Society
Christmas trees can provide natural cover and enrichment for wildlife who are recovering from injuries or are in a zoo setting. Based on the need of the organization, only a limited number of trees would be needed for enrichment purposes.
Wildlife rehabilitation facilities like WildNORTH can accept trees. For all donation inquiries, please contact them or watch their social media for more details.
Habitat restoration projects sometimes accept trees to add to streams and ponds. You can follow a local Freshwater Conservation Canada chapter or Cows and Fish to see if they will need any trees this coming season.
EALT does not accept Christmas trees
Photo by EALT
Please adhere to leave no trace practices when visiting our conservation lands. Please respect the land by:
Taking wrappers, doggy bags, and other waste from your trip back home with you
Giving wildlife their space by not disturbing dens or nests, or by feeding wildlife
Not leaving organic materials behind
Parking within designated parking areas
Through the seasons, EALT staff have noticed that after holidays, we often see discarded decorations on our conservation lands. People often assume that natural materials like pumpkins and coniferous trees will naturally decompose when left in nature, but when multiple people come to this conclusion, it leaves a mess for those who steward these natural areas. In addition, “leave no trace” also applies to the removal of natural material – including our native coniferous trees. Please do not harvest your holiday decoration on conservation lands of any sort, whether it’s an EALT property or a public park.
Photo by Manfred Richter on Pixabay
Drop off your tree at a municipal waste management facility
While some municipalities may not offer curb-side pickup of your Christmas trees, they should accept them when you bring the trees to a designated location. These can include Eco stations and recycling depots, transfer stations, and dumps. Waste management facilities will mulch the trees instead of being added to landfills. Check out these webpages for waste management facilities in the Edmonton area:
St Albert – Curbside pickup available
Strathcona County – Curbside pickup available for some county residents
Leduc County – Curbside pickup available
Please make sure that the tree is dropped off without any decorations left on it, especially tinsel or other plastic adornments.
We hope you have a great waste-wise holiday season!
For more local nature-themed content, subscribe to our nature notes blog.
We also have these resources for more nature-conscious activities.
Nature Kids - https://www.ealt.ca/kids/
Recipes at Nature’s Nourishment - https://www.ealt.ca/natures-nourishment
