Parish officials say unflocked live trees can be recycled to support coastal restoration efforts.
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Now that the gifts are unwrapped and the Christmas holiday is over, parishes in Louisiana are collecting discarded natural Christmas trees to be used for Louisiana coastal restoration.
Here is how to recycle your used natural Christmas tree in certain parishes.
Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish residents can participate in the program through the following options:
Dec. 26 through Jan. 4: Call 311 to request curbside pickup using the “Christmas Tree” service request. A contractor will collect the first 400 trees requested through 311. Jan. 5 through Jan. 9: Place trees on the curb by 5 a.m. on your regular garbage collection day. A recycling truck will follow the regular garbage truck. French Quarter and Downtown Development District: Residents should place trees curbside before 4 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8 only.
Trees cannot be flocked or have remnants of tinsel. All ornamentation, lighting, and tree stand bases must be removed before recycling pick up.
Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish officials are reminding residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holidays to help the coastal restoration effort.
According to the parish, residents will have two options to recycle eligible trees in January.
Residents may drop off live Christmas trees at designated sites from Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, through Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at the following locations:
• David Drive, 400 David Drive, Metairie
• Lapalco Boulevard, 6440 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero
Trees may also be placed curbside the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, for collection on one of the following dates:
• Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026
• Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
• Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
To be accepted, trees must meet these requirements:
• No flocked, artificial, or painted trees
• No lights, garland, tinsel, ornaments, tree stands, or plastic bags
Parish officials say thousands of trees are recycled each year and used to build wave-dampening fences in the Barataria Basin to help reduce coastal erosion.
The parish’s 2026 Christmas Tree Recycling event is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Volunteer sign-up information is available on the Jefferson Parish website.
Residents with questions about tree collection can contact the Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs at (504) 731-4612.
St. Charles Parish
From December 29, 2025, to January 14, 2026, residents can drop off trees for recycling at the following locations:
East Bank Bridge Park – 13244 River Rd, Destrehan, LA 70047West Bank Bridge Park – 13825 River Rd, Luling, LA 70070IMTT Field – 276 Pirate Drive, St. Rose, LA 70087Monsanto Park – 13201 River Rd, Luling, LA 70070Montz Park – 100 Calcagno Street, Montz, LA 70068Des Allemands Playground – 1471 WPA Road, Des Allemands, LA 70030
Trees can also be placed curbside the evening of January 4 for collection from January 5 to 7, 2026. The following are the requirements to have trees recycled in the marsh:
No artificial trees No painted treesNo flocked trees No ornaments No stands No lights No bags
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