MOBILE, Ala. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District at West Point Project, will be accepting real
Christmas trees, not artificial trees, for recycling December 26, 2020 through January 8, 2021.
Donated trees will be used to create brush piles in the lake to improve fish habitat. The trees may be dropped
off in the parking lots of Yellowjacket Boat Ramp and Sunny Point Boat Ramp in Georgia and Rocky Point Boat
Ramp in Alabama. All decorations – tinsel, lights, garland, bulbs, etc. – must be removed from the trees before
dropping them off. Please place the trees in the designated locations in the parking lots. Dumping of
household trash at these sites is strictly prohibited.
Individuals who wish to place their own Christmas trees in the lake are reminded to avoid placing them in
boating channels and to 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 it 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 install large
numbers of trees or other types of structure for fishing 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
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Release no. 20-048