AREA OPTIONS ABOUND FOR TREE RECYCLING; BOY SCOUTS SUPPLEMENT LOCAL SITES READY FOR DONATIONS.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry Daily News Staff Writer

Your Christmas tree may be looking less than festive by now, but to members of an Agoura Hills Boy Scout troop it's getting greener.

The 30 Scouts of Troop 127 and their families are rounding up Christmas trees as a fund-raiser for a summer camping trip to Catalina Island. For a $10 charge, they'll pick up Christmas trees in the area from Calabasas to Westlake Village.

On Sunday the Scouts collected 20 trees, cut them into pieces and took them to a landfill for recycling, said Andi Dorfman, a Scout mom. The Scouts distribute fliers announcing the event, the moms make the reservations and the dads drive the truck and load the trees, Dorfman said.

``It's a real family thing,'' she said. ``It's pretty much an all-day thing.''

Although most agencies in the area offer free pickup of trees, most people don't seem to mind paying the Scouts' $10 fee because it's for a good cause, Dorfman said.

``I think they feel good about it,'' she said. ``Everyone who's called me is so pleased to be doing it.''

Many local agencies also are collecting old Christmas trees and they all ask that all ornaments, tinsel, nails, support rods and stands be removed before the tree is set out for pickup or dropped off.

Most trees get shredded and used as mulch, and metal objects can damage chipping equipment.

To arrange a Boy Scout pickup for Saturday or Sunday, Oak Park and Calabasas residents can call [phone]. Westlake Village residents can call [phone]. In Agoura Hills, east of Kanan road, call [phone]. Residents west of Kanan north of Thousand Oaks Boulevard, call [phone]; those west of Kanan south of Thousand Oaks Boulevard, call [phone].

Also in Agoura Hills, residents can cut their trees into small pieces and put them into their green waste containers. The trees will be collected on the usual recyclables collection day at no cost. Flocked and flameproofed trees are acceptable.

The Calabasas landfill, 5300 Lost Hills Road, will accept trees 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at no cost. Flocked and fireproofed trees are acceptable.

Thousand Oaks residents with new curbside yard waste bins should cut their trees into 4-foot sections and place them into the bins on their usual yard waste collection day at no cost. Flocked and fireproofed trees will be collected, but cannot be recycled.

Every day through Jan. 11, residents also can drop their trees for free at one of three locations, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The drop-off sites are Triunfo Community Park, 980 Aranmoor Ave.; Home Depot, 500 N. Ventu Park Road; and California Lutheran University at Mount Clef and Olsen roads.

Moorpark residents can leave their trees on the curb next to their waste containers on their regular trash collection days through Jan. 15. Apartment and condo residents should contact their manager for the location of tree bins.

Simi Valley residents may leave their trees at the curb for pickup on their usual recyclables pickup day at no cost.

Others may deliver their trees at no charge through Jan. 9 to the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center, 2801 Madera Road. Drop-off times are between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Flocked trees will be collected, but cannot be recycled.

In the Santa Susana area, the Knolls Park Recycling Center will accept trees at no cost Saturday only at 1300 Katherine Road. No flocked or fireproofed trees.