Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree … what the heck are we going to do with you?

As the lights are taken down, and presents are all put away, the big question is what to do with the rapidly shedding tenenbaum in the living room.

Luckily, the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District is providing an answer.

The district will be partnering with the U.S. Forestry Service to offer a Christmas tree recycling program.

Seven sites have been set up to accept trees: The Lawrence County Fairgrounds, Kroger’s in Wheelersburg, the junction of Shawnee Trail and State Route 141, the village halls of South Point, Hanging Rock and at the U.S. Forestry Service Lot on State Route 93.

The district has worked with the USFS for several years on the program, with some success, according to education specialist Stephanie Helms.

“On average, every year they’ve done it, they collect about 300 trees, at all the sites combined,” Helms said.

Trees can be deposited until January 6, 2006. No garbage will be accepted at the site and trees being dropped off cannot have decorations or plastic on them

“They would just slide off and become litter in our waterways,” Helms said.

Once they’re dropped off, trees won’t just go to the big Christmas tree farm in the sky; they’ll be used as fish habitat and continued restoration and improvement of Vesuvius Lake.

More information is available by calling district coordinator Chuck Yaniko at (740) 532-1231.