Effortless Tree Removal: Your Guide to Christmas Tree Collection in Urban Areas!

The Streets Division conducts two rounds of curbside pickup for Christmas trees.

Only trees are collected by the crews.

Wreaths, boughs, and other evergreen ornaments must be disposed of in the trash.

The initial round will commence on January 6, 2025.

The second and concluding round will start on January 21, 2025, after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.

Both collections depend on weather conditions, as responding to snowstorms takes precedence.

To ensure your tree is picked up at the curb, you must adhere to the following guidelines and have them placed out during the specified times. If placed incorrectly or at an unsuitable time, you may forfeit the chance to have them collected from the curb.

Details regarding tree collection rules and schedule are accessible on the City of Madison winter website.

The Guidelines for Christmas Tree Collection

Not adhering to the following list of guidelines could lead to your tree not being retrieved from the curb.

• Detach the tree stand.
• Remove all decorations from the tree, such as lights, tinsel, ornaments, tree toppers, etc.
• Avoid putting your tree inside any kind of bag.

When to Put Out the Trees & When Will the Streets Division Retrieve Your Tree

• Round One Details –  Collections Start on January 6, 2025

To have your tree collected during the first round, place your tree on the terrace or in the right-of-way space adjacent to the public street by your residence no later than 6:30 a.m. on January 6, 2025.

Trees positioned at the curb by or before 6:30 a.m. on January 6, 2025, will likely be collected sometime between January 6 and January 17, 2025, subject to weather conditions and crew availability.

If you set out your tree for collection after January 6, it might not be collected until the second round.

• Round Two Details – Collection Starts on January 21, 2025

To have your tree picked up during the second and last curbside collection opportunity, you must leave your tree out for collection by 6:30 a.m. on January 21, 2025.

Trees placed on the terrace or in the right-of-way space during this time will likely be collected between January 21 and February 7, 2025, depending on weather conditions and crew availability.

If you set out your tree for collection after 6:30 a.m. on January 21, 2025, you may miss your curbside collection opportunity.

Crews will not collect trees or additional brush again until the regular brush collection season begins in the spring of 2025.

Placement of Trees

Trees must be positioned on the terrace or at the edge of the road along the public street, and they must be accessible for the collection crews.

Ensure your trees are placed a minimum of four feet away from barriers such as utility poles, fire hydrants, and other obstacles.

Streets Division crews are not permitted to enter private property to collect items, including trees.

Tree Collection During Snowstorms

Streets Division crews will halt tree collection in order to deal with snowstorms. The same personnel responsible for tree collection also operate the snowplows.  Inclement weather may cause delays in pick-up services.

If your tree becomes buried under snow and ice, you will need to uncover it for our crews to retrieve it.

Streets Division crews will not chisel out trees that are frozen in place.

Wreaths, Garlands, Boughs, and Other Evergreen Decorations

Do not set out wreaths, evergreen roping, garlands, or boughs for tree collection.

They should be disposed of in the trash.

These items contain wires or metal that can cause damage to wood-chipping equipment.

Drop-off Locations

Residents of Madison may also bring their holiday trees to a Streets Division drop-off location.

The sites and their operating hours change seasonally.

Visit the drop-off sites website for more details regarding hours and locations of these sites.

What Happens to the Collected Trees?

The trees collected by the Streets Division are taken to the Streets Division’s brush processing center where they are shredded into mulch.

Further Information

Additional details regarding tree collection and other winter-related municipal operations are available on the City of Madison’s Winter website, www.cityofmadison.com/winter.