Christmas Trees provide Fish Habitats at Area Lakes

The season of giving continues beyond holiday celebrations as officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hartwell Lake and J. Strom Thurmond projects activate plans to re-purpose Christmas trees into fish habitats. Officials will accept only real Christmas trees for recycling Dec. 26 through Feb. 1, 2017 at Hartwell and Dec. 20 through Jan. 11, 2017 at Thurmond. The drop-off locations are the Big Oaks Recreation Area and Poplar Springs boat ramp in Georgia on Hartwell, Twin Lakes and Friendship boat ramps in South Carolina on Hartwell, Mount Lebanon Elementary School in Pendleton, South Carolina for Hartwell, and Riverside Middle School located in Evans, Georgia for Thurmond. “Corps rangers and volunteers will place submerged trees around fishing piers to act as fish attractors and improve fishing habitat. Small trees and brush provide cover for fish, particularly as nursery areas for juvenile fish,” said Hartwell Lake Park Ranger Jess Fleming. “Christmas trees provide habitat for aquatic insects, which supplies essential food during the early stages of most fish species,” continues Fleming. All decorations to include tinsel, lights, garland, bulbs, etc. must be removed from trees before dropping them off. The dumping of wire frame wreaths, yard debris, and household trash at sites is strictly prohibited. Additional trees will be staged at select ramps around the lake to be used by the public. Trees can be picked up by fishermen any time for personal use until Feb. 1 from any of the Hartwell drop-off locations. At Thurmond, anyone wishing to obtain a list of locations where the trees will be available should contact the office after Jan. 11. For more information or to volunteer, contact the Hartwell Lake Manager’s Office at 888-893-0678 or Thurmond Lake Project Office at 800-533-3478.