OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Now that the holiday season is coming to a close, cities across Johnson County are encouraging residents to recycle their live Christmas trees. Here’s a look at where you can dispose of your holiday greenery for free.
Johnson County Parks
From Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, Johnson County will offer free tree recycling at four locations:
- The Theatre in the Park, Shawnee Mission Park, 7710 Renner Road
- Heritage Park, 16050 Pflumm Road, Olathe
- Kill Creek Park, 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe
- Big Bull Creek Park, 20425 Sunflower Road, Edgerton
Tree recycling will be available to anyone regardless of county residency. All trees will be collected during regular park hours between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., except at Shawnee Mission Park, which opens at 6 a.m.
Leawood
Leawood residents can drop off their holiday tree to be recycled at three different locations throughout the city.
- The parking lot south of the Aquatic Center at Leawood City Park.
- The parking lot west of the soccer fields at Tomahawk Park near 119th St. and Tomahawk Creek Parkway.
- The north parking lot at Ironwoods Park to the east of the play area.
Tree drop off will be available Dec. 26- Jan. 17.
Lenexa
From Dec. 26 through Jan. 10, Lenexa residents can drop off holiday trees, wreaths and garlands from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parking lot of Little Mill Creek North.
The City of Lenexa will mulch trees and wreaths to use on city trails and in community landscaping. Residents can also pick up free mulch from bins at Little Mill Creek Park and Freedom Fields.
The city has partnered with local Boy Scout Troop 136 to offer tree pick-up service. Residents can request their trees be picked up and recycled by the Scouts on:
- Saturday, Dec. 31
- Sunday, Jan. 1
- Saturday, Jan. 7
- Sunday, Jan. 8
The troop is requesting a minimum $10 donation for each tree. You can find more information on how to reserve a pick-up time on the Troop 136 website.
Merriam
Merriam Public Works will offer free, curbside tree disposal Jan. 9-13. Residents can place their tree on the curb by 7 a.m. on their regularly scheduled trash pickup day to have their tree removed.
Olathe
Olathe residents can drop off their tree for free at the city’s composting facility near 127th St. and Hedge Lane.
The facility is open Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A photo ID will be required to show proof of residency.
Overland Park
In Overland Park, residents can drop off their trees to be mulched and used at city parks. From Dec. 26 through Jan. 9, trees can be dropped off from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. in the parking lot at
- Young’s Park, 7701 Antioch Road
- The Indian Creek Recreation Center, 10308 Marty Street
- Quivira Park, 11901 Quivira Road
Trees can also be left in the parking lot of the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Prairie Village
Republic Services will pick up live trees along with resident’s normal yard waste on the curb for the first two weeks of 2023. Any live trees taller than six feet will need to be cut in half before removal.
The city will also offer free holiday tree disposal from Dec. 23 to Jan. 15 at three locations. Trees can be placed in designated areas at
- Porter Park, 4601 Tomahawk Road
- Franklin Park, Roe Avenue and Somerset Drive
- Taliaferro Park, 2900 W 79th St.
Roeland Park
From Dec. 26 through Jan. 9, Roeland Park will allow residents to drop off their live tree at the corner of 48th St. and Roe Lane to be recycled.
Trees can also be disposed of along with resident’s normal yard waste on their regular yard waste collection day. All lights and decorations should be removed from the tree before placing it on the curb. Trees must be cut into 4 foot segments, but do not need to be bundled to be removed.
Holiday tinsel, lights, ornaments and wrapping should be removed from all trees before being dropped off or scheduled for recycling. Artificial trees and wreaths will not be accepted.
