This year, YETI has shown how Christmas trees can become underwater habitat, encouraging anglers to donate their trees to help improve fish ecosystems. Local parks and wildlife departments can sink your old Christmas tree in rivers, reservoirs, and waterway systems as part of revegetation projects to create immediate, new habitats for the fish.
Finding constructive ways to recycle Christmas trees has become a focus for conservation-minded cities across the east coast and beyond. In March of 2023, the city of South Portland, Maine, was given a permit by Maine DEP to place discarded Christmas trees along the dunes of Willard Beach. The trees acted as a buffer, reinforcing the dunes by catching blowing sand and thus, maintaining the soundness of the dunes.
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This year, YETI is connecting its fans with these departments to maximize the number of trees being sunk. The sunken brush-like fir or pine trees offer smaller fish species a place to hide, attracting larger gamefish. And these benefits can start being seen in as little as 10 to 15 minutes! You can learn more about the initiative and how to get involved HERE.