AGFC accepts natural Christmas trees for fish habitats

Once the decorations are taken down and boxed up for another year, those old natural Christmas trees can serve as valuable habitat for fish, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

In Garland County, natural Christmas trees can be donated to the Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, 350 Fish Hatchery Road. Artificial trees will not be accepted.

“We’ve got a bunch of drop off locations across the state, but the closest one to Hot Springs is the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery,” said Sean Lusk, fisheries management biologist for Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

“All we ask is that you, of course, make sure all ornaments and tinsel are off of the tree — anything unnatural. Trees can be dropped at the left of the boat ramp, and we actually have two (trees) sitting out there already.”

The evergreens are available for anglers to take and use at their favorite spots on the lake to build new habitats for area fish, often by attaching an anchor of some sort to sink the tree, he said, which is “a good opportunity for anglers to put these trees to use in our lakes.”

“It provides what we refer to as cover,” Lusk said. “A lot of times, especially on Lake Hamilton where there’s a really rocky bottom and not a lot of cover, there’s nowhere for these smaller fish to hide. Creating these habitats creates a safe haven for those smaller fish to hang out.

“A lot of times, too, anglers will build these brush piles to attract the larger sport fish who like to hang out in these habitats as well.”

Donations are usually only taken like this around the holidays because anglers will often build their own habitats with brush they have brought from their private property or with permission from another individual, he said.

“There are a lot of anglers who do their own habitats; however, we just

finished a big habitat building project on Bull Shoals,” Lusk said. “It’s just important they don’t cut the trees from any of the banks. They have to be from private property or where they’ve had permission to take the trees.”