Here's Where To Drop Your Christmas Tree On The Upper West Side

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Instead of leaving your Christmas tree on the sidewalk after the holidays this year, there's a less wasteful way to dispose of the used-up conifer: drop it at one of the city's dozens of mulch sites.

This year, "Mulchfest 2022" runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 9. It includes tree drop-off sites around Manhattan, where the Parks Department will take each tree and break it into wood chips to nourish city parks.

A few of the sites will also offer free mulch for New Yorkers to take home and nourish their own gardens.

Here are the Mulchfest sites around the Upper West Side:

• Central Park: West 65th Street and Central Park West - Drop-off Only
• Central Park: West 81st Street and Central Park West, at the bridle path - Chipping
• Riverside Park: West 83rd Street and Riverside Drive - Chipping

The chipping sites are open the weekend of Jan. 8-9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People are asked to bring their own bags to take some free mulch home.

Remember to take off all lights, ornaments and netting before bringing a tree to a Mulchfest site, the Parks Department asks.

View the full list of Mulchfest sites around New York here.