Christmas trees piling up at High Resort

RIO RANCHO — Many residents showed up at the Rio Rancho Sports Complex on High Resort to donate their Christmas trees, thanks to the city of Rio Rancho’s “Holiday Tree-Recycling” event Jan. 3.

Every five to 10 minutes, a car would enter the tree recycling area either to leave a tree in the corral or to get free mulch. The free mulch is courtesy of PNM and Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful.

“This is going to be turned into mulch,” said William Twilley, who stopped by to recycle his tree. “I believe in sustainability and recycling.”

Mulch is a layer of material that can be placed on top of soil to improve the health of plants and the soil.

The free mulch is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and people are responsible for loading their mulch.

The tree recycling began on Dec. 26, running until Jan. 6.

If you want to drop off your tree, bring it to the Rio Rancho Sports Complex located at 3501 High Resort Blvd. SE. They’re signs that will guide people to the drop-off zone.

“You have to put in a pickup to take it out to the desert somewhere and dump it illegally. You might as well bring it here,” said Judy Odink, who was there with her husband to get mulch.

The city of Rio Rancho asks that you “place trees as far back into corral as possible.”

Trees cannot have any decorations, lights, tinsel and stands. Also, artificial trees will not be accepted.