Recycle Your Christmas Tree as Fish Habitat
Date: December 29, 2022
How long will you leave your Christmas tree up this year? While some start packing up Christmas promptly on December 26th, others may leave decorations up through the 12 Days of Christmas. Or, until January 6th, known as Epiphany or Three Kings Day.
Whatever your preference, if you have a real tree, check the water level daily and refill as needed. If the needles turn yellow or brown, or feel crunchy, it’s time to take the tree down. A dry tree is a fire hazard.
Once you’ve decommissioned your real Christmas tree, what do you do with it? As long as you haven’t sprayed anything on your tree, like artificial snow, it can become part of a fish habitat, suggests the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), after you’ve removed all decorations, including lights, ornaments, and tinsel.
The AGFC has drop-off locations where your old Christmas tree can provide underwater cover. Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitat for small fish.
“Anglers are welcome to remove trees from drop-off locations to create their own fish attractors. Tying the trees to cinder blocks with parachute cord is a popular option to weigh the trees down. Sandbags also are a popular option. By the time the bags and cord deteriorate, the trees will be waterlogged and no longer need the weight to stay on the bottom.
The small branches will deteriorate quickly, so it’s best to sink the trees in groups. The trunks of the trees will last much longer, offering some woody cover long after a single tree’s attractiveness wanes.”
Through January 31st, you can drop off your real Christmas tree at the Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Rd, Hot Springs National Park, AR 71913. For more information, call 501-525-8606.
Artificial Christmas trees contain toxins and are not suitable for fish habitats.
If you have an artificial tree, the cardboard box it came in is not ideal for long-term storage. Instead, consider using a storage bag to keep out moisture and pests. Storage bags with wheels and a handle can be purchased for large trees.