It was announced last month that Bridgeport Parks and Recreation would participate in the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's annual Christmas tree recycling event.
Rather than throwing away discarded Christmas trees, residents can bring them to Bridgeport Recreation Complex between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4.
The Department of Natural Resources will use the collected trees to create fish habitats at the bottom of West Virginia lakes and streams, thereby keeping them out of landfills and off the side of the road.
Nikki Davis,REAP Office Programs Supervisor for the West Virginia DEP, said the "Treecycle" event is a popular one.
“A lot of people get excited about it - that they can could pick a live Christmas tree and instead of throwing it to the curbside, they can give the tree a new purpose which helps the environment and makes them feel like they extended the life of the tree in another way," she said.
This is the 16th year for the DEP collection program in Charleston. The event takes place the first Saturday of January at Capital Market. In the early years of the event, the trees were mulched. Then, the Department of Natural Resources decided to get on board.
“The DNR noticed what was going on and said they could really use those trees,” Davis said.
Bridgeport is the only other city participating in the DEP’s program. Charleston and Bridgeport combined, the DNR hopes to collect around 2,000 trees. Annually, the program brings in between 500 and 700 trees to Charleston only.
Employees of the DEP will staff the Jan. 4 event, interacting with people and answering questions about the program. A company, contracted through the DEP, will haul the trees away.
“The folks from the DNR take over from that point, determining how many trees they have to work with and where they will go,” Davis said.
It’s a win-win situation; in fact, a gift that keeps giving.
“People can enjoy the sights and smells of a real pine tree in their homes this holiday season and not have to worry about how to dispose of it,” said Joe Shuttleworth, Bridgeport Parks and Recreation. “By contributing to fish habitats here in West Virginia, folks are also contributing to a real environmental need.”
An informational video which includes footage of sinking trees into West Virginia waters can be seen at the link.
Below is the list of lakes where some of the discarded trees will be sunk to provide fish habitat. Provided by the DNR, the list is subject to change based upon number of trees collected.
DNR District 1
Cheat Lake – Monongalia County
Tygart Lake – Taylor County
DNR District 3 (aim for using trees at 3 out of 5 reservoirs each year and rotate)
Stonewall Jackson – Lewis County
Stonecoal – Lewis County
Burnsville – Braxton County
Sutton – Braxton County
Summersville – Nicholas County
Big Ditch Lake – Webster County
DNR District 4
Sherwood – Greenbrier County
R.D. Baily – Wyoming County
DNR District 5
Beech Fork – Wayne County
East Lynn – Wayne County
Apple Grove Hatchery – Mason County
