Discarded Christmas Trees Become Fish Habitat

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in South Carolina is accepting old Christmas trees again this year to help create fish habitat on Lake Hartwell. Last year they received over 100 trees that helped create 22 fish habitats. "The submerged trees attract aquatic insects, which become food for early stages of a variety of fish species, according to the Corps." This year's recycling program begins tomorrow (12/29). Kudos to the Corps!


Photo: Alexandra Bandon


"Oh Christmas reef! Oh Christmas reef... da dah da dah da..."
- My Dad



More info here:
Christmas tree collection begins at Hartwell Lake» Anderson Independent Mail



Source:
Associated Press

 

This is a common practice here in Oklahoma, every year lots of our lakes get new habitat added, I was just up at keystone lake the other day and the corp was dropping weighted trees around some boat docks and fishing docks, they tend to put them around man made structures alot here to help offset any impact the structure may have

 

Great to hear! How cool.

 

Too funny

 

In south florida most people do this to create fish homes for largemouth bass the old trees make perfect homes and the people dont have to take there tree to a local tree collection location its a win win.

 

Yep, we do this here in Wi to create habitat for fish in our FW lakes. We use trees to mark the ice trails on bigger lakes so you don't get lost while on the ice even in a white out from snow.

The nice thing is if you make a "reef" for the fish in winter, you know here to drop a line in summer

 

Nice.

 

Being in Ft. Lauderdale, Newreef15 might be familiar with Markham Park's tradition of recycling old Xmas trees. They accept everyone's used trees, and run them thru a chipper, creating literally tons of mulch; that's laid in piles and is free for the taking. They've been doing this for years. It's wonderful to go to the park just to smell the evergreen in the air. For those who are not aware--Florida is not exactly a haven for conifers. The scent of fir, pine, spruce, and cypress in the Florida air is unexpected and very welcome for this native New Yorker.

 

It's great that your local communities do this!

 

Alabama Power does the same thing every year here on Smith Lake,they gather up as many trees as possible and submerge them for fish habitats and they print out maps to the locations which is popular with us fishermen .