Recycle Your Christmas Tree At Ocean County Parks

The pine smell is fading and you're dreading cleaning up the needles that seem to be falling in clumps even though you're still watering it every day.

If you're taking down your Christmas tree this weekend, the next question is what to do with it once you've stripped its branches of ornaments and twinkling lights.

The Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation has just the places — yes, places, plural — where you can dispose of that tree and help the environment.

The parks department will be collecting and recycling Christmas trees, which can be dropped off at designated locations through Jan. 31.

The following county park locations will be accepting trees:

• Cattus Island County Park, 1170 Cattus Island Boulevard., Toms River
• Cloverdale Farm County Park, 34 Cloverdale Road, Barnegat Township
• Wells Mills County Park, 905 Route 532, Ocean Township
• Ocean County Park, 659 Ocean Avenue, Lakewood
• Beaver Dam County Park, 3430 Bridge Avenue, Point Pleasant
• Jakes Branch County Park, 1100 Double Trouble Road, Beachwood
• Mill Creek County Park, 11 Chelsea Avenue, Berkeley Township
• Enos Pond County Park, 330 East Lacey Road, Forked River
• Robert J. Miller Airpark, 901 Route 530, Berkeley Township
• Freedom Fields County Park, 1160 Route #539, Little Egg Harbor Township
• Patriots County Park, 485 Bowman Road, Jackson
• Stanley H."Tip" Seaman County Park, 120 Lakeside Drive, Tuckerton
• A. Paul King County Park, 2 W. Bay Avenue, Stafford Township
• Ocean County Golf Course at Atlantis, 261 Country Club Boulevard, Little Egg Harbor Township
• Ocean County Golf Course at Forge Pond, 301 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick

Lights on a live Christmas tree. Karen Wall photo