Illinois forest preserves open Christmas tree recycling drop off locations

The Lake County Forest Preserves, Libertyville, Illinois, has created eight designated locations throughout the county for residents to drop off Christmas trees for recycling, a report by the Chicago Tribune says. The donated trees will be turned to mulch using a wood chipper.

The mulch will be used for resurfacing trails and landscaping at McDonald Woods Forest Preserves in Lake Villa, Illinois, Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve in Lake Forest, Illinois and Old School Forest Preserves in Libertyville, the report says. The trees will be accepted until Feb. 1.

According to the report, the program has been going on for more than 20 years. The locations receive around 300 to 400 trees per year.

The drop-off locations include:

• Grant Woods in Fox Lake;
• Greenbelt in North Chicago;
• Half Day Forest Preserve in Vernon Hills;
• Heron Creek in Long Grove;
• Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda;
• Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville;
• Ryerson Woods in Deerfield; and
• Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth