COUNTYWIDE : Recycled Trees Yield Free Mulch

Beginning today, Ventura County residents will be able to share in the harvest of the county’s Christmas tree recycling program by collecting a free bag of mulch.

More than 57,000 trees were recycled this year instead of being dumped in landfills, according to preliminary estimates from recycling officials.

And most of these trees have been ground into mulch, which is available free to all county residents. The mulch can be used as a ground cover to suppress weeds or reduce moisture loss in soil. From today through Feb. 2, residents can pick up bags of the organic material at various locations in the county.

The county has not yet compiled figures comparing the recycling program this year to last year.

But rough estimates from the cities indicate an overall increase.

Simi Valley residents recycled the highest number of Christmas trees, about 18,000 compared to about 15,540 last year.

Six other cities also reported a rise in the number of trees turned in. The biggest percentage of increase was in Camarillo, where officials estimated that they received about 3,500 trees this year, almost triple the number last year. Oxnard and Moorpark reported declines.

For information on where to pick up mulch, call 648-9226.