Aug Chron: Post-holiday use for Xmas trees

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ENVIRONMENT

Christmas has passed, but the tree is still there. Here's what you can do.

Erica Van Buren

Augusta Chronicle

Dec. 26, 2025, 4:00 a.m. ET

Now that Christmas has come and gone, all the gifts are unwrapped, there are several environmentally friendly ways to dispose of your tree to make sure it continues to serve a useful purpose once stripped of its lights and tinsel.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will accept real, undecorated Christmas trees for recycling as fish habitat at J. Strom Thurmond Lake Dec. 20 through Jan. 18. Artificial trees will not be accepted.

All decorations, tinsel, lights, garland, bulbs, etc., must be removed from the trees before dropping them off. Dumping of wireframe wreaths, yard debris, artificial trees, and household trash at the sites is prohibited.

Georgia locations to dispose of Christmas trees

Amity Day Use Area boat ramp
Keg Creek boat ramp

South Carolina locations to dispose of Christmas trees

Primary location with sign: Below Dam Day Use Park
Dorn Boat Ramp, boat ramp area
Parksville Day Use Area, boat ramp area

Habitat for aquatic wildlife

Trees will be tied in bundles, weighted with concrete anchors, and submerged in various locations marked with fish attractor buoys by Corps personnel. This creates shelter and food for bait fish, which attracts crappie, bass, and sunfish species. Ultimately, the recycled trees benefit the fish as well as the angler.

Anglers can pick up recycled trees to create habitats at a location of their choosing. Christmas trees should be anchored with concrete blocks at depths of 15 to 20 feet.

For more information, contact conservation biologist Evan Brashier at 864-333-1159 or evan.g....@usace.army.mil.

Boy Scout Troop 643

For Evans, Grovetown, Martinez, Harlem, and Appling, area Boy Scout Troop 643 will be picking up live Christmas trees on Jan. 4. A $15 donation per tree is suggested. Donations can be paid in cash, check, and Venmo.

To schedule a pick up, call 757-812-8219 or email getmyt...@gmail.com. Include the following information in the email: name, address, subdivision (if any), phone number, and email address.

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Barnyard Buddies

Barnyard Buddies, a year-round mobile petting farm located in Grovetown at 4856 Columbia Rd., welcomes Christmas trees after the holiday.

“I have about 30, 35 goats,” said Barnyard Buddies owner Jeanette Norris. “Christmas trees are a natural dewormer, and they have nutrients in them that are good for the goats. People are welcome to drop them off at the end of the driveway."

Done include trees with any sprays on them, such as fire retardants.

For more details, contact Barnyard Buddies by calling 706-508-4628 or email at barnyardb...@yahoo.com.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Partners.

Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVan...@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.