MOBILE, AL - The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at West Point Project will accept real Christmas trees, not artificial trees, for recycling Dec. 26, through Jan. 13. The trees will be used to create fish structures at various locations.
The trees may be dropped off in the parking lots of Yellow Jacket Boat Ramp and Sunny Point Boat Ramp in Georgia and Rocky Point Boat Ramp in Alabama. The trees must be free of all decorations – tinsel, lights, garland, bulbs, etc. – before they are dropped off. Please place the trees in the designated locations in the parking lots. Park rangers will then place trees in the lake to create fishing structure at various locations.
Individuals who wish to place their own Christmas trees in the lake may do so, but please follow the guidelines below:
- Do not place the trees where they could become safety hazards to boaters or swimmers. For example, trees should not be placed near boat launching ramps, in shallow boat traffic channels, or at swimming areas.
- Use a suitable anchoring system to prevent the trees from floating away or moving around. A cement block will work well as an anchor for one or two trees, but the block must be securely fastened to the tree using nylon twine or a similar material.
- Trees will attract more fish if they are placed in deeper water and in an area where the water depth changes significantly, such as near an underwater ridge or hump. Fish tend to use this type of area throughout the year.
Although a permit is not necessary to place a few Christmas trees in the lake, anglers who wish to drop large numbers of trees or other types of structure for fish reefs should contact the West Point Project Management Office at 706/645-2937. More information on West Point Project is also available on the Internet at: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Recreation/WestPointLake.aspx
Release no. 17-126