The West Point Project is seeking volunteers for its Annual Fish Habitat Improvement Work Day on Saturday, July 27. 

The project is in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at West Point Lake. 

The project plans to plant 3,500 water willow plants around the shoreline of West Point Lake. The Annual Fish Habitat Improvement Work Day began in 2014, and plans to continue to plant and establish native aquatic vegetation for fish habitat and to help aid in control of shoreline erosion.

“The water willow plant is a native species to this area,” said park ranger Ben Williams. 

“We’ve been doing this project since 2014, and we plan to expand the project in the future in order to plant more.”  

Volunteers are required to get into the water to plant, as planting areas are not accessible by land. Boats can be brought and used by volunteers in order to plant. Volunteers will need to provide their own shovels, work gloves, drinking water and life jackets to participate in the work day. 

Volunteers of any age are invited to join, however if under the age of 18, volunteers will be required to have a parent or guardian in attendance to sign a service agreement. 

In order to participate, volunteers will need to meet at the Yellow Jacket Boat Ramp no later than 8 a.m. EST on Saturday, July 27. Park Ranger personnel will be in attendance to check in volunteers and go over the day’s agenda.