Since 2003, Alabama Power has deployed more than 60,000 Christmas trees in company reservoirs to create fish habitat. Employees added to that total recently with the help of students from the University of Montevallo President’s Outdoor Scholars program.
Participants gathered at Beeswax Landing on Lay Lake earlier this spring to anchor cinder blocks to trees. They left in boats to drop the trees in spots that are marked by GPS coordinates posted on Alabama Power’s website and Shorelines cellphone app.
“The fish habitat improves the recreation on our lakes,” said Mike Clelland, coordinator of Alabama Power’s Renew Our Rivers program. ”As the reservoirs age, the fish habitat degrades. We drop Christmas trees every year to ensure we have great habitat for fish in place.”
In its inaugural year, the outdoor scholars program has exposed students to various occupations that promote conservation.
“It has been great to partner with Alabama Power employees, who practice stewardship and conservation so well,” said William Crawford, outdoor scholars director. “As our program grows, we look forward to joining them on more trips like this.”
For more information about the University of Montevallo’s President’s Outdoor Scholars program, visit the Outdoor Scholars website.
