Florida conservationists encourage recycling Christmas trees in the water
TAMPA, Fla. - It’s hard to say goodbye to the holidays, but you don’t have to just kick your tree to the curb this new year.
After it served its purpose in our homes, conservationists here in Florida say there’s a fun way to recycle your Christmas tree and create a home for sea life.
Around 30 million Christmas trees are bought each year in the U.S., so conservationists are coming up with new ways to keep them from going to waste. The outdoors company YETI is teaming up with local fish and wildlife departments to encourage turning holiday habits into fish habitats.
When you sink a tree into a lake or pond, experts say, within minutes, fish and aquatic insects flock to the shelter, increasing biodiversity. It’s something fish need as more urban development erodes the natural structures they rely on.
"If you provide habitat, if you provide structure, fish will find it, and it can be a really fun thing and a really cool thing," says All Florida Conservationist Travis Thompson. "Structure provides habitat for small fish, nursery fish, babies have habitat to hide in, and it provides forage for larger fish as well."
"Christmas trees are kind of neat because it creates this economy around growing a tree. The farmer makes money and so does the seller. Then we enjoy them in our house… but now, you have another step to that."
As Florida grows more populous, and more people want to live on the water, he says giving back to the wildlife is important.
"If you clean off a shoreline for development and take out stuff, providing this kind of structure offsets and it feels like we are in a race here in Florida for that kind of thing."
However, it is important to participate the right way. It is illegal to sink your Christmas tree without a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, unless it is a private lake or pond.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife provided FOX 13 with this statement:
In Florida, unlike many states, placing any type of fish attractor in public lakes requires strict adherence to state regulations. It's important to note that placing materials on the bottom of public lakes (state waters) without a permit is illegal. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) mandates obtaining a permit for any such activity, and these installations must be marked with a buoy, among other stipulations.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advocates for responsible fish habitat management. While the use of Christmas trees can offer temporary benefits, their short lifespan and the requirement for frequent replacements make them less sustainable… Additionally, for private pond owners, different rules may apply, and they may have more flexibility in using various types of fish attractors.