Old Christmas trees used to restore fish habitats
Deteriorating habitats can disrupt balance of ecosystem
Deteriorating habitats can disrupt balance of ecosystem
Deteriorating habitats can disrupt balance of ecosystem
You buy a Christmas tree each year, then where does it go after the New Year? Instead of releasing carbon dioxide into the air or letting the tree sit in the dump to rot, how about recycling it to a world under the water?
One neighborhood in Rankin County is doing just that.
"This lake is a little older. A lot of the habitat that was there has deteriorated over time," said Rankin County resident Joseph Moore.
Deteriorating habitats can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. No shelter means no place for the fish to hide from hungry predators.
"This lake has alligator, alligator gar, snakes, turtles. So, if there’s no hiding spot for the fish or their eggs, the fish won’t ever get big," Moore said.
Moore is just one of several people leading the change in making sure his backyard lake becomes a happy marine ecosystem once again. Each year, Moore’s neighborhood collects live Christmas trees that are used as a natural and environmentally friendly shelter for fish to hide in and lay their eggs.
The trees are bunched together to add stability and a larger shelter for animals. They are then weighed down with cinder blocks to make sure it sinks to the bottom and reduces movement from the moving water.
"If you want something more natural, you can pour concrete with a bucket with them and sink it that way, so you aren’t putting a nylon rope in there," Moore said.
The trees last three to five years before they rot, and the project starts over again.
"Cedar and Christmas trees tend to hold up a lot better than some other species when it comes to being underwater for the majority of the year," said Tom Hoff, supervisor ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "And they are really bushy, so it gives you a lot of structure for the young fish to hide under."
Up the road with the Corps of Engineers, Hoff is helping lead the 32nd annual fish habitat day.
"We noticed that the mud flats were becoming more prominent. We were losing a lot of the structure, and that started around 1988-1989 when the first habitat day started," Hoff said.
Hoff and a team of volunteers visit different lakes and creeks each year to help restore marine habitats. In a matter of 32 years, 73,000 trees have been used to construct 24,000 structures for lakes and riverbeds across parts of Mississippi for ecosystem rehabilitation.
Hoff said if you want to help be the change, this time of year is the perfect time.
"We place ours while the water levels are down. Starting in February, we will start drawing the water back up. We do it while there is access to the lakebed," Hoff said.
Once spring hits, fish are able to lay their eggs in the shelters, which could help increase the fish population and balance ecosystems for creeks and lakes. It could also lead to bigger and healthier fish.
"If we did this every year for 30 years, it would be really nice to see some of the fish coming out of this lake," Moore said.
Check with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, or your HOA before starting a similar project.