“By sinking these trees, we’re adding a natural resource that will provide refuge and feeding areas for fish,” said Grace Dietsch, MetroParks’ regional manager of conservation. “It also gives the public a way to repurpose their trees and enriches Eastwood Lake’s ecosystem — a win-win for nature and the community.”
MetroParks works with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife to determine where the trees should be sunk, said Lisa Zoromski, biologist for Five Rivers MetroParks.
“We’ll have designated spots where these trees will be sunk to create this area for the fish to recognize,” she said. “Three years ago we sunk trees at Eastwood Lake, and we’re sinking them in the same areas now because those trees are mostly gone.”
By sinking the trees, MetroParks is giving fish structure and habitats.
“Eastwood used to be a quarry,” Zoromski said. “It’s pretty absent of natural materials fish would use for hiding and for spawning, so we are sinking donated trees from the community to help provide that structure for these fish to help with angling opportunities.”
She added that the project is the result of research by experts, so people shouldn’t just toss their old Christmas tree into Eastwood Lake or other bodies of water.
“This project took a lot of work the Division of Wildlife, from Five Rivers MetroParks and from researchers to understand where would these trees need to be placed and which lakes around Ohio need the structure,” Zoromski said. “Each of these Christmas trees you can’t just toss into the lake, they have to be weighed down.”
MetroParks uses concrete blocks donated by Snyder Concrete to weigh down the trees. The sunk trees won’t impact boating in the lake, but it will give anglers more opportunities to fish closer to the shore.
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