Each year, Michiganders purchase millions of live Christmas trees. However, after the holidays pass, people often wonder if there are more beneficial uses for their tree rather than sending it to landfill. The answer is yes— there are many ways that your old Christmas tree can keep on giving as habitat, and it is important to think carefully about the best way to do so.

Christmas trees for fish? There are better options

People often wonder whether their Christmas tree would make good habitat for fish. This is a great question, as many of Michigan’s lakes once had woody habitat, such as a fallen tree, every 5 to 50 feet! This woody habitat is important for fish, turtles, frogs, herons, and other animals, because it provides refuge from predators, an opportunity to bask in the sun, reduces wave energy that erodes shorelines, and encourages growth of aquatic plants. Harder-wood trees with an open branch structure provide high-quality habitat.