NEWBERRY — The Newberry Soil & Water Conservation District and Keep Newberry County Beautiful hosted its 9th annual Grinding of the Greens, January 13, 2024, at Cromleys Ford of Newberry on Wilson Rd.
Newberry Electric Coop generously donated their time and equipment to Grind over 100 trees collected for mulch. Jarrett and Hunter (equipment operators) braved the 31-degree weather to load mulch for community members. An estimated 25 to 30 million live Christmas trees are purchased in the United States every year. And after Christmas, far too many of those end up in a landfill or incinerated.
Crista Lukoski from the NSWCD stated “We had several calls from residents wanting to use the discarded trees for habitats in ponds and lakes. If the trees are free from decorations, they are a terrific habitat for small bait fish and marine wildlife. An old Christmas tree can provide fish cover for between one and five years and be a part of broader revegetation efforts.
Board members from Keep Newberry Beautiful were on hand with Hot Coffee and treats.
If you would like more information about how to become an affiliate member of the Conservation District or to learn about our programs, visit us at www.newberryswcd.com or www.keepnewberrybeautiful.com.