Properly dispose of holiday greens

If you’re getting ready to take down your live Christmas tree, remember that putting it into backyard woods or a compost pile, or dumping it roadside, could spread a number of possible invasive pests into Minnesota’s environment.  The state Ag Department’s Angie Ambourn says even leaving the tree outside just for the rest of the winter is problematic:

“If you forget about it and it doesn’t get disposed of properly, then we are at risk for something escaping into the environment.”

Ambourn says people should follow their city’s ordinances on proper disposal of Christmas trees, noting that some areas do not allow burning.  Wreaths and other decorative greens can be put in trash cans.