Now that Santa Claus is back in the North Pole after his annual visit, it will soon be time to start thinking about what to do with the Christmas tree.

Nine sites will open for people to recycle live trees in Cherokee County this year. Several open today with the others operating the weekend of Jan. 5.

Tree recycling locations are:

* Hobgood Park;

* Sequoyah Park;

* Ball Ground Community Center;

* Holly Springs Public Works;

* Olde Rope Mill Park;

* Home Depot stores in Canton, Holly Springs and Woodstock.

Sequoyah Park, Hobgood Park and Olde Rope Mill Park will be open from today through mid-January.

Holly Springs Public Works will collect trees through Jan. 5.

At Boling Park, trees will only be accepted the weekend of Jan. 5.

Olde Rope Mill Park will be the site of a Bring One for the Chipper event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 5. Anyone bringing a tree to chip that day can receive a free tree seedling.

All decorations should be removed before bringing a tree for recycling.

Trees are chipped into mulch, and anyone can pick up the mulch for free.

“It’s a coarse mulch,” Cherokee County Stormwater Coordinator Marjorie Hicks said. Her department is heading up the effort.

Davey Tree, the company working with Keep Georgia Beautiful across the state to chip the trees, will deliver truckloads of mulch to homes for free.

“It’s great if you have a larger area you want to cover,” Hicks said.

To arrange for free delivery of mulch by the truckload, visit www.keep

georgiabeautiful.org.