ABIQUIU LAKE, N.M. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff at Abiquiu Lake will join the Santa Fe National Forest and the Española, N.M., American Legion, to collect live-cut Christmas trees to sink in the lake to provide fish habitat. Sunken trees provide fish with shelter and food by encouraging aquatic insect growth.
The trees will be collected Sat. Dec. 27, 2025, through Fri. Jan. 16, 2026.
Trees must be completely clean of decorations, tinsel, glitter, and/or fake snow which can harm fish. Artificial trees will not be accepted.
Live-cut trees can be recycled by taking them to one of the following drop-off locations:
US Army Corps of Engineers
Abiquiu Lake Project Office
4731 Highway 96
Abiquiu, N.M.
Española American Legion Auxiliary
314 Hunter Street
Española, N.M.
USDA Santa Fe National Forest
Coyote District Office
20 Private Drive 1707
Coyote, N.M.
USDA Santa Fe National Forest
Cuba District Office
4 County Rd. 11
Cuba, N.M.
USDA Santa Fe National Forest
Española District Office
18537 US 84/285 Suite B
Española, N.M.
For more information about recreation at Abiquiu Lake please visit: https://www.spa.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Recreation/Abiquiu-Lake/
Follow Abiquiu Lake on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AbiquiuLakeUSACE
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Release no. 25-018