New Orleans has launched its 2025–2026 Christmas Tree Recycling Program to help protect the coast. Instead of throwing away old Christmas trees, the city will reuse them to restore wetlands. The program is run by the Office of Resilience & Sustainability, in partnership with Glass Half Full, and is sponsored by Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company, according to the City of New Orleans.
Residents looking to contribute to habitat restoration can have their trees picked up curbside by placing a "Christmas Tree" service request via 311 from Dec. 26 through Jan. 4, as reported by the City of New Orleans. Limited to the first 400 trees, a contractor will collect them. Additionally, from Jan. 5 through Jan. 9, trees can be left out on the curb by 5 a.m. on normal garbage collection days, with a recycling truck in tow for the garbage vehicles. For French Quarter and Downtown Development District occupants, January 8 is the only day to place trees out before 4 a.m.
The rules for recycling trees are strict: they must be clean. No flocking, tinsel, lights, stands, or decorations of any kind are allowed. Everything must be removed before pickup. This program has been running for more than 27 years and plays a big role in restoring the Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge. So far, it has helped restore about 200 football fields’ worth of marshland, as detailed by the City of New Orleans.
As New Orleans continues to fortify its natural defenses against the threats of storms and rising sea levels, programs like this become increasingly significant. "The City of New Orleans and other coastal communities in our region must continue to prioritize the protection and restoration of the natural resources and defenses that protect us from storms and sea-level rise," Samantha Carter, Senior Outreach Manager, Gulf Program, National Wildlife Federation, told the City of New Orleans. Recycled Christmas trees become habitats and play a role in sediment trapping, ultimately forming ridges that bolster inner marsh areas against erosion and wave action.
The City of New Orleans restoration efforts are echoed with the help of Louisiana National Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, which airlift sorted and bundled trees by helicopter, dropping them into targeted sections of the Bayou Sauvage. This initiative not only supports the city and environment but also provides valuable flight time and training for the 1st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment crew members.
