Tree-incarnation

Jennifer Knight

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 | 11:36 a.m.

Tree Drops

Christmas trees can be dropped off through Sunday at these locations:

The trees of the Christmas just past are stacking up at local recycling centers more than ever before, recycling center officials said Monday.

Despite a reduction in the number of Christmas tree recycling centers this year, residents are opting to give their trees an afterlife in the form of mulch.

Instead of dropping their trees off at the curb for the garbage collector, they're dropping them off at the Gardens at the Springs Preserve, which operates four tree recycling centers in Las Vegas.

The Gardens at the Springs Preserve is the new name for what was long known as the Desert Demonstration Gardens, said Jesse Davis, a spokesman.

"Normally tens of thousands of trees end up in the landfill taking up space," Davis said. "It appears as though with the amount of trees we have now, we're definitely seeing an increase in recycling this year."

Davis estimates that nearly 2,000 trees were collected last year and shredded into mulch. The material provides ground covering year-round for plants at the desert gardens on Alta Drive.

Davis expects this year will top last year's volume despite a reduction in the number of collection centers.

Las Vegas resident Chris Steinfals, who has been recycling his Christmas trees since 1999, said he noticed that dropping off his tree this year wasn't as easy as it has been.

"They have two collection sites (in the northwest area)," said Steinfals, who drove 10 miles to drop off his tree. "That's not enough, really. There must be hundreds of thousands of people here in this area. They've got to make it a little bit easier."

The Springs Preserve, which runs the recycling program, has partnered with Desert Research Institute, Clark County Parks and Community Services, the Nevada Division of Forestry, Silver Dollar Recycling, UNLV Rebel Recycling and Evergreen Recycling to offer the four locations it has now.

"We didn't have as many partners this year as we did last year but I would say that the response we've received this year for recycling is far better than last," Davis said."

Jesse Davis,

GARDENS AT THE SPRINGS PRESERVE SPOKESMAN