Wednesday is the last day to donate live Christmas trees to Lake Hartwell

There are only a few days left to donate your live Christmas Trees to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hartwell Lake Office.

As they do every year at this time, the Hartwell Lake Office will accept them through Wednesday, January 26.

Jess Fleming is the Corps’ Natural Resources Specialist at Hartwell Lake.

Fleming said the trees are tied in bundles, weighted with concrete anchors, submerged in various locations around the lake, and marked with fish attractor buoys.

Additionally, he said anglers are also welcome to pick up a Christmas tree for their dock or lake area.

Christmas trees can be dropped off at designated donation sites.

In Georgia, those include the Big Oaks boat ramp in Hartwell and the Poplar Springs boat ramp in Gumlog.

In South Carolina, trees can be dropped off at the Twin Lakes and Coneross Creek boat ramps, as well as Mount Lebanon Elementary School in Pendleton.

Before donating your Christmas tree, you must remove all ornaments, lights, garland, and other decorations.

Additionally, only live trees are accepted, you may not donate your artificial tree.

For more information, contact the Hartwell Lake Operations Project Manager’s Office toll-free 1-888-893-0678.