Why Is This State Dumping Christmas Trees Into Lakes?

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If you live in Kentucky, your old, dried-up Christmas tree could end up having a second life at the bottom of a lake. Why? The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Christmas for the Fishes program recycles natural Christmas trees by dumping them into public lakes where they will benefit fish species and anglers instead of rotting in a landfill.

“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,” explains the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources on its website. “[Evergreen trees] make great refuge and feeding habitat for game fish, as well as small fish and invertebrates that are crucial for a thriving ecosystem.”

To facilitate the annual program, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources picks donated trees up from designated drop-off locations throughout the state between December 26 and January 15. The only requirement is that the tree is free from decorations before it’s dropped at a donation site. From there, officials take the trees to local lakes and dump them in so they can begin their second lives as fish habitats.

“Fish flourish in an environment that is full of different types of cover including trees and logs,” the department says. “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.”

What’s more, the recycled Christmas trees often end up creating hot spots for anglers, since they’re hot spots for fish, making this a win-win for both humans and Mother Nature.

See local WKYT News’ coverage of Christmas trees being dumped into lakes here:

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