As the holidays come to an end, many live Christmas trees are tossed into the trash or hauled off to a landfill. Instead of letting those fir and cedar trees go to waste, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is inviting anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to give them a second life helping fish around the state.
Through the AGFC’s annual Habitat for the Holidays program used Christmas trees become underwater cover that supports fish populations in lakes and reservoirs. When submerged the trees add structure and refuge in areas where natural cover has become sparse.
Once the trees are in the water they benefit aquatic ecosystems in several ways.
- Refuge: The dense network of branches offers small game fish and baitfish critical protection from larger predators, which helps more of them survive and grow.
- Dining Hall: As these trees decompose, they become a buffet for algae and aquatic insects, which fuel the base of the aquatic food web.
- Fishing Hot Spots: Larger fish like bass and crappie are drawn to this new cover to hide and ambush prey, bringing excellent angling opportunities with them.
To make sure donated trees are safe for the water the AGFC asks that all lights ornaments and other decorations be removed before drop off. Artificial trees cannot be used because plastics may leach harmful chemicals once submerged.
Trees collected through the program are free for anglers to use as habitat. AGFC biologists recommend tying cinder blocks or sandbags to the trees with paracord so they sink and settle on the bottom. Before placing trees or other materials in any lake or river anglers should call the lake owner to be sure habitat placement is allowed. Some reservoirs and public waters have rules about adding brush.
The AGFC also suggests sinking several trees together at each location to increase the longevity of the structure since individual Christmas trees deteriorate relatively quickly.
Used Christmas trees can be dropped off at a statewide network of locations through the end of January. Drop off points include public boat ramps parks and AGFC regional offices in Northwest Arkansas Northeast Arkansas Central Arkansas and other regions.
The Habitat for the Holidays program gives Christmas trees a new purpose while improving fish habitat and enhancing fishing opportunities across Arkansas waterways.
Trees can be dropped off at any of the following locations until the end of January:
Northwest Arkansas
Beaver Lake – Highway 12 Access, AGFC Don Roufa Highway 412 Access and Monte Ne Boat Ramp Access
Lake Elmdale – Boat Ramp Access
Bob Kidd Lake – Boat Ramp Access
Crystal Lake – Boat Ramp Access
Lake Fayetteville — Boat Ramp Access
North Arkansas
Bull Shoals Lake – Any U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramp
Norfork Lake – Any U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramp
Northeast Arkansas
Jonesboro – Craighead Forest Park Lake Boat Ramp
Lake Bono – Boat Ramp Access
Lake Walcott – Crowley’s Ridge State Park Boat Ramp Access
Lake Charles – West parking lot at Highway 25 Boat Ramp Access
Lake Poinsett — Dam Access Boat Ramp
Batesville — Ramsey Slough Boat Ramp
Central Arkansas
Arkansas River – Riverview Park Access in North Little Rock
Lake Barnett – Reed Access
Harris Brake Lake – Chittman Hill Access
Lake Pickthorne – Holland Bottoms Access
Lake Overcup – Lake Overcup Landing
Cox Creek Lake – Cox Creek Lake Public Access
Lake Hamilton – Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery Access
West Central Arkansas
Lake Atkins (Pope County)
Lake Jack Nolen
Sugar Loaf Lake
East Arkansas
Horseshoe Lake — Bonds Access
Wynne Sports Complex Family and Community Fishing Pond
Southeast Arkansas
Cook’s Lake – Potlatch Cook’s Lake Nature Center
Bus lot across from Grand Avenue United Methodist Church in Stuttgart
AGFC Regional Office at Monticello – 771 Jordan Drive
Connerly Bayou Boat Ramp- Lake Chicot
South Arkansas
Camden – AGFC Regional Office on Ben Lane, next to the National Guard Armory
Upper White Oak Lake – Upper Jack’s Landing
Magnolia – Columbia County Road Department Yard on Highway 371
El Dorado – Union County Fairgrounds
Southwest Arkansas
Millwood Lake – Millwood State Park ramp on the point
Dierks City Pond – Main parking area
Rick Evans Grandview Prairie – Nature Center
Hope – AGFC Regional Office on U.S. Highway 67 East
Lake Dieffenbacher – Bobby Ferguson Park Pavilion, Texarkana
Photos and information courtesy of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
