Nanaimo Search and Rescue will host an event this weekend, chipping up Christmas trees, while Parksville Fire Rescue host a similar event on Sunday. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

wood chips

Chipping fundraisers safely disposing of mid-Island Christmas trees

Jan 4, 2025 | 5:37 AM

NANAIMO — A pair of events this weekend are helping people safely dispose of their Christmas trees before they become problematic.

For the ninth time, Nanaimo Search and Rescue are hold their annual tree chipping event at the Country Club Centre between Best Buy and Dairy Queen on Saturday, Jan. 4 and Sunday, Jan. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

Jessica Henderson, fundraising director, told NanaimoNewsNOW they expect to see between 500 and 600 trees.

“Our members will be on site to help out with getting people’s trees off their vehicles and onto the tree chipper. VI Tree Service is helping us out and donations are going to John Barsby outdoor education program.”

It’s the second year in a row the event has supported the outdoor education program at the secondary school.

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“We’re just wanting youth to have the opportunity to go out, they go to [Mount] Albert Edward…and that’s because we’ve been able to help supply the equipment for students who might not have otherwise been able to have that opportunity,” Henderson added.

Henderson said trees need to be undecorated in order to go through the chipper.

Crews will have a special tree on site to host all the ornaments which attempt to sneak through.

Tree chippers will be working overtime this weekend, helping dispose of Christmas trees before they dry out. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Parksville Fire Rescue will host a similar event on Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Wembley Mall.

Assistant fire chief Steven Leidl said trees can be dropped off by donation, with money going to the Parksville Firefighter Association’s charitable fund.

Parksville Fire Rescue will host a similar event on Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Wembley Mall.e people will take their tree, leave it in their yard until they can find a time to get rid of it. When they do that, it dries out and can definitely become a fire concern.”

Donation of the chipper comes from Branching Out Urban Forestry, ensuring all proceeds go into the fund.

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