USACE West Point Lake to Accept Christmas Trees for Recycling

MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at West Point Lake Project announced today that they will accept unwanted, live Christmas Trees for recycling beginning Dec. 26, 2021 until Jan. 10, 2022. Artificial trees will not be accepted.

The 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. No artificial trees.

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 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.

For more information, please contact the West Point Project Management Office at (678) 721-6700 and on the internet at: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Recreation/WestPointLake.aspx

__________

With an area of operation across Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and northern Florida, and a vast military region that includes operations across Central and South America, the Mobile District’s award- winning teams of engineering, construction, regulatory and emergency management professionals are nationally recognized for their leadership in delivery of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ civil works and military programs missions to the Nation.

# # #