Not sure the best way to dispose of your live Christmas tree after the holidays? Residents near two northern lakes can turn holiday decorations into food and shelter for fish.
After the holiday season, upstate residents who own live Christmas trees can recycle them at the Hartwell Dam and Lake Project and J. Strom Thurmond Lake. In Hartwell, residents can put down trees from December 26 to January 26. In Thurmond, residents can take in trees from December 18 to January 14.
In artificial lakes, where fish may have difficulty finding abundant vegetation to provide shelter and nourishment, anchoring live trees to the lake bottom can help provide habitat and feeding areas for freshwater fish. Thurmond and Hartwell are both man-made lakes or reservoirs built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
When recycled Christmas trees are put into the lake, they are tied into bundles and secured with concrete blocks so that they sink to the bottom of the lake. There, they create habitat and feeding areas for fish.
“This really improves the habitat there. Small trees and shrubs provide cover for breeding areas of fish and juvenile fish. They provide habitat for aquatic insects, which are important in the early development stages of most fish species. food source,” said Hartwell Park ranger Scott Lusk. “It creates shelter and food for baitfish, attracts bass and sunfish species, so ultimately, the recycled trees benefit the fish and fishermen.”
At Hartwell, trees were cut down in shallower areas to avoid danger to boats due to fluctuating water levels. Park ranger Scott Lusk said that while the lake’s deeper parts are still forested, the shallower waters could deprive fish of a strong underwater habitat.
Fish need more than just shelter. The trees also grow algae, which is a food source for fish, and they also harbor macroinvertebrates and insects. Once a tree is placed, it takes about two weeks to start attracting fish. Trees can survive in water for about three years.
Hartwell receives about 250 trees each year. Conservation biologist Evan Brashier said residents have been cutting down trees in Thurmond for more than 30 years. He said that every year, 800 to 1,000 trees are planted at the lake.
“The soil type is really not conducive to aquatic plant growth,” Brashear said. “Especially in Thurman, our lakes fluctuate in the winter and recover in the spring. That’s really not conducive to vegetation growing around it, so we try to add structure where possible with a Christmas tree program.”
The Christmas tree drop-off location is also a pick-up location for anglers or those fishing with hook and line. While corps members will place remaining trees at stocking sites, anglers can create their own habitat if they place stationary trees at 8-12 feet for Hartwell and 15-20 feet for Thurmond.
Each lake has several “fish attractors,” or structures designed to attract fish to specific areas. Lusk said the attractors can help people who want to fish but may not be familiar with the lake find possible inhabited areas.
Between Thurmond and Hartwell, Christmas trees account for about 27 percent of the fish attracted, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Hartwell has 11 fish attractors and Thurmond has 10. Each fish attractor has a buoy marking its location.
There are three drop-off locations at Lake Thurmond. The primary site is below the Dam Day Use Park, with other sites at the Doane Boat Ramp and the Parksville Day Use Area.
On Lake Hartwell, residents can place trees at the Twin Lakes Boat Ramp or the Corneros Boat Ramp.
Preparing your Christmas tree for recycling
Each tree must have all lights and decorations removed before they are placed in the lake. Never place wireframe garland, debris and other household waste, as well as fake trees, into the lake.
A spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said South Carolina previously had more locations for Christmas tree recycling, but in recent years they have come to rely on plastic fish traps that are replaced less frequently.
According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the total amount of garbage will increase between Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays, and the average amount of garbage in American households increases by about 25%. In South Carolina, residents are encouraged to recycle when possible while also preventing non-recyclable items from contaminating recyclable items.
According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, residents should avoid placing items from the “Holiday Dirty Six” in recycling to prevent contamination. These projects include:
- light post
- Textured wrapping paper, such as gloss or glitter
- Bows, ribbons and twine
- Polystyrene foam products and packaging peanuts
- plastic bag
- toilet paper
Each public recycling location has different rules and accepts different items. To learn more about local drop-off hours and what items can be recycled, visit the Greenville News North Recycling Guide here or search by county here.
Sarah Swetlik covers climate change and environmental issues in upstate South Carolina for The Greenville News.Contact her at sswetlik@gannett.com or @sarahgswetlik.
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