ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – The holidays may be over, but thousands of Christmas trees in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho are finding new purpose. Thanks to a decades-long partnership between PNM, the City of Albuquerque, and Rio Rancho’s Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful Division, 5,628 trees were recycled this season—producing more than 84,000 pounds of mulch for community spaces and home gardens.
Drop-off sites across the metro, including Eagle Rock and Montessa convenience centers, Ladera Golf Course, and Rio Rancho Sports Complex, were buzzing with activity as residents turned festive décor into sustainable landscaping material.
PNM says the same heavy-duty equipment used year-round for vegetation management and wildfire prevention was repurposed to chip trees into mulch. Officials call the effort a win for sustainability, reducing landfill waste while improving soil health in city parks and neighborhoods.
