This is how your Christmas tree could help local fish

Do you still have your Christmas tree?

If you do, the Missouri Department of Conservation would like to have when you’re done with it. They’ll use it to build fish habitats in state parks, something they’ve been doing for 30 years according to stlpublicradio.org.

“Over the years, that’s really helped our fish population and fishing,” said Kevin Meneau, a state fisheries management biologist.

Trees are submerged in 60 park lakes in the St. Louis area. Each lake receives trees every three years.

The department is accepting Christmas trees from now until Jan. 16 at the August A. Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles and Spanish Lake Park and Blackjack Lake at the North County Recreational Complex.

Remove all decorations ad don’t trim or alter the trees before dropping them off.

This story was originally published January 2, 2017 at 12:26 PM with the headline "This is how your Christmas tree could help local fish."