Scouts to haul away Christmas trees in annual fundraiser Saturday

• Central Transfer and Recycling, 11034 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver (360-256-8482): Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; $1 per tree (first three trees).

• City Bark, 2419 N.E. Andresen Road, Vancouver (360-253-8461): Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; $1 per tree.

• H&H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver (360-892-2805): Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; $1 per tree.

• McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver (360-892-6125): Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; $3 per tree.

• Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas (360-834-7253): Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; $2 per tree.

• Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S. Grant St., Washougal (360-835-2500): Public hours 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays; $1 per tree (first three trees).

• West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road, Vancouver (360-737-1727): Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; $1 per tree (first three trees).

A Christmas tree doesn’t come with an expiration date. There is no “Best if used by …” label on the trunk.

But really, Saturday will be long enough, won’t it?

That’s when hundreds of Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and volunteers will stage their annual Christmas tree roundup around Clark County.

The Scouts will provide a one-day disposal option for all the firs and pines that have been stripped of their tinsel, ornaments and lights.

There are ongoing opportunities as well, including recycling companies that operate Christmas tree drop-off sites around Clark County.

And, Waste Connections picks up one Christmas tree for its regular yard-debris recycling customers.

For the Scouts, the annual Saturday tree collection in early January is a fundraising event as well as a community service project.

Pat Bartos, Scoutmaster of Troop 310 in Ridgefield, said that a $7 donation is suggested but volunteers will take trees with or without a donation.

People should remove all the decorations from the trees and have them at the curb by 7 a.m.

If they do make a donation, they should leave it in an envelope by the front door rather than along the street with the tree.

Yard debris collection

Waste Connections will pick up one Christmas tree from each yard-debris recycling customer through January.

The tree must be 5 feet or shorter, or cut into pieces no longer than 5 feet.

The tree should be placed inside the debris cart or — if the tree is too big — next to an empty cart. If the cart is full of other yard debris, there will be an additional fee for a tree placed next to the filled cart.

Bartos, tree recycling coordinator for the local Scout council, noted that there might be some overlapping efforts Saturday.

Waste Connections will do Saturday pickups of its Friday customers because of the holiday; if those customers want the Scouts to collect their tree, they should put the tree on one side of the driveway and the waste containers on the other side, he said.