Rec & Parks offers free mulch made from fallen trees from Hurricane Irene

BALTIMORE - Starting Saturday, Sept. 17, Baltimore Recreation and Parks will offer free mulch made by grinding the more than 2,900 fallen trees and limbs from Hurricane Irene to residents for use around their homes or in community gardens. This is coarse woodchip mulch, commonly used for flower beds, underneath shrubs, around the base of trees and for wood chip paths.

The free mulch will be offered at nine locations throughout the city. Pick-up will be dawn to dusk seven days a week until the supply is exhausted. There is no limit on the amount you can take, but the mulch is strictly for residential use. No commercial vehicles or use allowed. Residents should bring their materials (boxes, bags, etc.) for hauling away.

Mulch may be picked up at the following locations:

* Camp Small - Immediately west of Jones Falls Expressway and north of Coldspring Lane.

*. Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park - parking lot at Eagle Drive and Windsor Mill Road

* Carroll Park - parking lot inside Carroll Park. Enter from Washington Boulevard and drive straight to back off park.

* Middle Branch Park - end of parking lot in front of Rowing Club. Enter from Waterview Avenue.

* Cimaglia Park (Fort Holabird) - parking lot. Enter from Pine Avenue off Dundalk Avenue.

* Clifton Park - West side of St. Lo Drive, 250 yards north of Sinclair Lane, north of railroad viaduct.

* Herring Run Park - Parkside Drive just southeast of Sinclair Lane.

*Mount Pleasant Ice Arena - Northern Parkway and Hillen Road at back of parking lot. 

* Northwest Park - In parking lot between old gym and red house. Enter off West Rodgers Avenue at South Bend Road.

To report a pile that needs to be replenished, call 410.396.7931 or e-mail MichelleF.Hughes@baltimorecity.gov