FISH HABITAT PROJECT

Christmas trees to be dropped on Ocean Lake for fish habitat

By KVOW/KTAK News Director Leslie Stratmoen

RIVERTON, Wyo. — If you still have your Christmas tree lying around, best get it to the Riverton or Lander baler facility today. The trees will be picked up tomorrow morning for drop off at Ocean Lake, west of Riverton.

They’ll be used for the fish habitat project there that’s been going on for 25 years, and started from a conversation had in a boat over a fishin’ pole. Local fisherman Howard Johnson said he and three friends got to talking about the lack of fish habitat right after Christmas and one of them said he thought he’d bring his tree out and drop it in the lake.

That fisherman did just that and the next year the three others did the same.

The following year the foursome drove around the alleys in town and picked up all the discarded live cut trees they could find for drop off at the lake. Now, a quarter of a century later, that fish tale has turned into a yearly project, one year dropping off 1,000 trees. This year’s take is 200.

So, today’s the last day to drop off your Christmas tree at the baling facilities because the lake is covered in ice, which means the time is right. That’s what they need to make it safe to drag the trees onto the edge of the lake where they’ll stay until spring thaw and sink to the bottom.

Johnson said anyone can help with the tree drop off. Just take Highway 26 west out of Riverton and look for the road to Pavillion to reach the Long Point boat ramp on the west side of the lake by 9 Saturday morning. And don’t forget to bring a pair of work gloves, he said, and plan to stick around. They celebrate the drop off with a bowl of home-made chili.