Make the new year a happy one for Kentucky’s fish by donating natural Christmas trees to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ “Christmas for the Fishes” tree recycling program.
This annual program uses evergreens donated after the holiday season to create underwater habitats that help fish thrive.
Spencer Phillips, a fish habitat biologist with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, said natural Christmas trees donated through the program will be bundled and dropped in 19 public lakes to provide aquatic cover that fish need to survive and thrive.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will be accepting evergreen trees at 33 drop-off locations across the state from December 26 through January 15, 2025. Trees should be real, not artificial, and should be free of lights, garland and decorations. Limbs, wreaths, brush or other plants will not be accepted.
Fish thrive in an environment that is full of different types of cover including trees and logs. The donated trees will help restore woody structures in lakes that decay over time, providing protective cover and shade for a variety of fish species.
Donated trees will be anchored to environmentally friendly weights and submerged at various depths in different lakes and reservoirs across Kentucky to provide places for fish to feed, shelter and spawn. They make great refuge and feeding habitat for game fish, as well as small fish and invertebrates that are crucial for a thriving ecosystem.
The locations where trees are installed generally become hot spots for fish species targeted by anglers. These locations are recorded by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff and the GPS coordinates made available to anglers through the “Lakes with Fish Attractors” page on the department’s website and FishBoatKY app, available on the iTunes App and Google Play stores.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is funded through the sale of fishing and hunting licenses, boat registrations and related grants. Conserving Kentucky’s fishes and their habitats and providing related recreational opportunities are important aspects of the department’s mission.
For more information about the Christmas tree recycling program or to find a drop-off location, visit the department’s website (fw.ky.gov) or call 1-800-858-1549, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding holidays.
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