Riverside County mulls use of discarded Christmas trees to secure fish habitat

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County supervisors today will consider whether to give all the Christmas trees collected this year by the county for recycling to a state program aimed at securing fish habitat.

The county's Department of Waste Management expects to collect around two tons of discarded trees in the post-holiday season and wants to turn the load over to the California Department of Fish and Game.

According to county officials, the DFG is attempting to fortify Lakes Elsinore, Gregory, Hemet and Perris to preserve small fish populations by protecting them from larger predatory fish.

''Trees...