Still Time Today to Bring One for the Chipper

Milton and its Milton Grows Green committee are offering Christmas Tree recycling today, Jan. 7, as part of Georgia's Bring One for the Chipper program.

Alpharetta joins in partnership in the program, and the Davey Tree Company is turning the trees into mulch.

But you might still be able to pick up a tree for your yard today if you drop off a tree. The Rotary Club of Alpharetta will be handing out GA Forestry Seedlings at the joint chipper event. There will be two types of seedlings available at this year's event.  While supplies last; your choice of either a red bud or a dogwood.  There will be a quantity of 500 available; 250 of each type of tree. Bring your old Christmas tree and swap it for a new tree.

Milton residents have three locations to drop off trees on Jan. 7:

1. 's Birmingham Road entrance, 13025 Birmingham Hwy., Milton;
2. , 5300 Windward Pkwy, offering assisted drop-off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 7.  (This is also Alpharetta's drop-off point.)
3.  Scottsdale Farms, 15639 Birmingham Hwy., Milton (click here for directions).

"We appreciate the community's awareness and cooperation in getting Christmas trees to a 'mulch' better place," said Cindy Eade, Milton's sustainability coordinator. "I'd also like to thank our sponsors, Casey Tree Experts, Harry's Farmers Market and Starbucks, for making this effort possible."

 Organizers are hoping to see growth similar to last year's Chipper effort. In 2011, Milton residents brought 687 trees to be chipped, which represented a more than 43 percent increase over 2010. They were used for mulch at local schools and in animal and fish habitats.

With more than 20 years of treecycling in Georgia, Bring one For the Chipper is the largest event of its kind in the nation. Since 1991, 5.7 million Christmas trees have been diverted from landfills and put to a greater use.

 For more information about the chipper event, to get free mulch delivered, or to volunteer, please contact mgg@cityofmiltonga.us.