Lake Shelbyville announces Christmas tree recycling for fish habitat

Extend life of your Christmas tree by donating it for Fish Habitat Improvement Day at Lake Shelbyville.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will place the discarded trees into Lake Shelbyville to provide nesting and escape cover for fish.

Donated Christmas trees are bundled together in small groups and submerged in the lake at select locations.

These shelters provide fish with breeding areas and escape cover.

New trees are added to select sites each year to maintain suitable cover.

Trees will be collected in Shelbyville and Sullivan.

The designated collection site in Sullivan is at the corner of Water and Main Streets, at the recycling lot across from the Library.

Trees can be dropped off inside the snow fence area on the North side of the lot.

Do not place trees on the parking lot.
In Shelbyville, the collection site is the Johnstowne Mall on the West side of Shelbyville.

Please place trees inside snow fence area on the grass at the Northwest corner of the parking area.

Do not place trees on the parking lot.

Trees will be collected at both sites through Feb. 1.

Before delivering your tree to either of the designated collection sites please remove the stand, tinsel and any ornaments.

Please do not leave any other kind of tree trimmings, wreaths, flowers or yard waste at the sites.

A tentative date for the placement of the trees into the lake is March 10.

Volunteers are needed to help bundle and place the trees in the lake.

\More details on the fish habitat improvement workday will be announced later.

All participants on fish habitat day will receive maps detailing where the trees were placed for later fishing reference.

Maps will not be supplied to the general public, only those attending fish habitat improvement day will receive a copy.

For more information call Ken Pierson at (217) 774-3951, ext 4 or Mike Mounce at (217) 345-2420.