“According to the Census of Horticultural Specialties by the Department of Agriculture, wholesalers sold more than 12.8 million Christmas trees in 2009.”
But, “Phil Londrico, a tree wholesaler who lives in Manhattan, said retailers he supplies are usually left with 5 percent to 10 percent of their inventory.” That’s about a million trees.
“Most retailers have their surplus turned into mulch or wood chips. In New Orleans, trees have been used to restore coastlines destroyed in hurricanes.”
“But aquatic habitat projects have become increasingly popular destinations for leftover Christmas trees.”
“Christmas trees are perfect — just the right size and weight,” said Mr. Alexander, the fisheries program manager for Oakland, California, “and we get them free, because vendors want to get rid of them.”
“They last a pretty long time — about five years in the lake,” said Lee Mitchell, a natural resource specialist for the Army Corp of Engineers, who is leading a similar campaign this year in Shelbyville, Ill.”
“He expects to receive 500 or more trees. “Fish use them like crazy. And the fishers really like them, too.”
“If they help, we give them (the fishermen) the GPS coordinates of the trees,” Mr. Mitchell said of the volunteers, many of whom are anglers.
“You can go right to the spot, and it’ll be good fishing there.”
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