Did you see those white and green signs this weekend, while traveling to grandmas or the in-laws?<!—->.

Wednesday, December 26, 2001

Did you see those white and green signs this weekend, while traveling to grandmas or the in-laws?

The ones that read "Christmas Tree Drop Site" and stand near the road in several villages?

They mark the latest project by county solid waste authorities and the USDA Forest Service – the Christmas Tree Recycling Program.

Anyone can bring their used Christmas trees, minus decorations and icicles, to one of the sites for disposal, said Doug Cade of the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District.

The district’s program will help the USDA Forest Service turn the old Christmas trees into fish habitat at Lake Vesuvius.

The forest service wants to improve fish habitat by constructing large Christmas tree reefs on the lake bed.

"Each tree that is recycled for the construction of the fish habitat reefs at Lake Vesuvius is one less tree going into our landfills," said Chuck Yaniko Jr., the district’s waste reduction awareness program coordinator.

Christmas tree drop locations have been established at the following sites:

– Proctorville, Lawrence County Fairgrounds; Wheelersburg, Quality Farm and Fleet; Ironton, vacant lot across from Cooks Farm Supply; Coal Grove, vacant lot beside the Coal Grove welcome sign; Hanging Rock, vacant lot beside the Hanging Rock townhouse; South Point, vacant lot beside the South Point Police Department; and Pedro, Wayne National Forest Ranger Station.

The tree recycling program will not only help fish habitat, but also help save space in landfills, Cade said.

For more information, call the Wayne National Forest at 534-6500.