An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
The Christmas tree recycling program, or "Christmas for the Fishes," is an annual program that provides a great way to recycle used evergreens and support our underwater fish habitats. If you are still looking for a place to dispose of your old natural tree, many city and county waste disposal teams offer mulching programs. We will collect the donated trees over the next few weeks and use them to refurbish existing habitat sites and create new ones. We appreciate your interest in our recycling program and encourage you to keep us in mind during the Holiday season.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife accepts evergreen trees at the drop-off locations listed below across the state from December 26 through January 15 each year. 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.
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 provide excellent refuge and feeding habitat for game fish, as well as for small fish and invertebrates that are crucial to a thriving ecosystem.
Fish flourish in environments with diverse 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.
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 are made available to anglers through the “Lakes with Fish Attractors” page on the department’s website.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is funded through the sale of fishing and hunting licenses, boat registrations, and related grants. Conserving Kentucky’s diverse fish species and their habitats, and providing related recreational opportunities, are essential to the department’s mission.
Loading and hauling trees from the drop-off site
Staging trees at the ramp for building fish habitat
Deploying trees in the lake to improve fish habitat