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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 364-04
December 30, 2004

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES MULCHFEST 2005

Holiday Tree Recycling to Take Place in All Five Boroughs

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, and Department of Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty today announced MulchFest, a Citywide event where participants can convert their holiday trees into wood chips. The Mayor encouraged New Yorkers to recycle their holiday trees by participating in the ninth annual MulchFest on Saturday, January 8 and Sunday, January 9 in designated parks throughout the five boroughs.  This year, MulchFest will have 42 recycling sites citywide.  At many of the tree drop-off locations, where chippers will be on hand, the public can take home mulch for their own gardens and plants.  The Department of Sanitation will also be collecting trees from the curbside and transporting to recycling sites from Thursday, January 6 through Saturday, January 15.  Last year, Parks & Recreation recycled over 25,719 trees during MulchFest.  The announcement was made today at a MulchFest site in Forest Park in Queens.

"For the ninth consecutive year, New Yorkers can dispose of their holiday trees in an environmentally-friendly way at the City's MulchFest program," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The annual event ensures that thousands of trees which otherwise would have been dumped in the trash are recycled into something useful. Last year, we recycled 25,719 trees, which is equivalent to the number of trees growing in Central Park.  I urge all New Yorkers to recycle their holiday trees and wreaths at the nearest participating park on January 8th and 9th.  It's a fun way to close out the holiday season, and participants can leave with some wood chips and the satisfaction that they helped make our city greener and more beautiful."

"MulchFest has become a compost-holiday tradition," said Commissioner Benepe.  "It provides an opportunity for New Yorkers to turn holiday trees into mulch for gardens and window boxes, or donate that mulch to help beautify neighborhood parks."

"MulchFest is a tremendous step forward in our efforts to more efficiently handle the enormous volume of waste that New Yorkers produce each and every day," said Commissioner Doherty. "Not only does Sanitation pick up 12,000 tons of refuse daily and send it off for final disposal, we are recycling in greater numbers than ever before. This season's holiday  tree mulching program is yet another innovative example of how the City is actually doing more by throwing away less."

Wood chip mulch moderates soil temperatures, helps retain moisture, prevents compaction, and deters weed growth, while slowly adding nutrients to the soil. Wood chips may be used to line street tree pits and flowerbeds in parks.  The chips insulate the soil around the base of the tree, reduce soil compaction, increase moisture, and prevent salt-shock.  Wood chips may also be used in homes and gardens to enrich soil and control weeds. 

MulchFest will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Riverside Park between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) on Saturday, January 8 and Sunday, January 9.  Many of the tree drop-off locations will have chippers on hand, and participants will be able to take home mulch from their tree. All lights, ornaments, and decorations should be removed from the trees before drop-off.  Trees should not be placed in plastic bags.  New Yorkers are also encouraged to take neighbors' trees to designated sites, to team up with others to collect and recycle as many trees as possible, and to bring along bags for wood chips available at specified sites, which make great liners for street tree pits and home or community gardens.

The Department of Sanitation will also be collecting trees from the curbside and transporting them to recycling sites from Thursday, January 6 through Saturday, January 15.  The Department of Parks & Recreation is also working with several other partners this year as well, including Lewis Tree Service, Bronx River Alliance, Lower East Side Ecology Center, Cobble Hill Tree Trust, Prospect Park Alliance, the Central Park Conservancy, Park Slope Civic Council, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, the Staten Island Botanical Garden, and the Queens Botanical Garden to bring MulchFest 2005 to New Yorkers. 

To find the nearest MulchFest location, please log on to www.nyc.gov or call 311.

MulchFest 2005 SITES (*wood-chippers on site; chips available to participants)

BRONX

 

Brook Park*

Brook Ave at 141st Street

Bissell Volunteer Gardens*

Baychester Ave at East 242nd Street

   

BROOKLYN

 

Prospect Park*

3rd Street & Prospect Park West

Cobble Hill Park*

Congress & Clinton Street

Green-Wood Cemetery*

(11a.m. – 3p.m.)

500 25th Street

Marine Park*

Ave. U Entrance

McCarren Park*

McCarren Park Field House

   

QUEENS

 

Cunningham Park*

Parking Lot # 2, Union Tpk. & Francis Lewis Blvd.

Juniper Valley*

80th Street b/t N. Juniper & S. Juniper Blvd.

Forest Park Bandshell*

Forest Park Drive West of Woodhaven Blvd.

Astoria

19th Street & Hoyt Avenue

Beach 94th St.

Shore Front Pkwy. & Beach 94th Street

   

STATEN ISLAND

 

Clove Lake Park

Cheshire Place & Clove Road

Midland Beach*

Father Cappodano & Graham Boulevards

Willowbrook

Richmond Avenue & Eton Place

Wolfe’s Pond Park*

Cornelia Avenue & Hylan Boulevard

Blue Heron Park

Poillon Avenue b/t Amboy Road & Hylan Boulevard

   

MANHATTAN

 

Saturday, Jan 8

 

Carl Schurz Park*

E. 86th Street & East End Avenue

Tompkins Square Park*

E. 9th Street b/t Avenues A & B

Washington Square Park*

Fifth Avenue & Washington Square N.

Riverside Park - Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Plaza *

(All Riverside Park locations will operate from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)

W. 88th Street and Riverside Drive

Riverside Park

W. 72nd Street (Eleanor)

Riverside Park 

W. 76th Street (Hamilton Plaza)

Riverside Park 

W. 79th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 83rd Street

Riverside Park 

W. 95th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 97th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 103rd Street

Riverside Park 

W. 106th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 111th Street Service Road

Riverside Park 

W. 116th Street

Riverside Park 

Tiemann Plaza

Riverside Park 

W. 138th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 145th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 148th Street

Riverside Park 

W. 153rd Street

Central Park*

West 79th Street & West Drive

Central Park*

West 63rd Street & CPW

Central Park*

East 106th Street & Fifth Avenue
 

   

Sunday, January 9

 

Union Square Park*

E. 17th Street & Union Square W. (North Plaza)

Morningside Park*

W. 123rd Street & Morningside Avenue

Marcus Garvey Park*

E. 123rd Street & Madison Avenue







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Robert Lawson   (212) 788-2958

Warner Johnston   (Parks & Recreation)
(212) 360-1311

Vito Turso   (Sanitation)
(646) 885-5020




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