Don’t let your Christmas tree go to waste this year after the holidays.  Extend your trees life 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 enhance the fisheries for years to come.  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, proving invaluable to not only the fisheries but to anglers as well.  New trees are added to select sites each year to maintain suitable cover.

Trees will be collected in Shelbyville and Sullivan again this year. 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. (PLEASE, DO NOT PLACE TREES ON THE PARKING LOT). 

In Shelbyville, the designated 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 (PLEASE, DO NOT PLACE TREES ON THE PARKING LOT).   Trees will be collected at both sites from December 26, 2011 through February 1, 2012. Before delivering your tree to either of the designated collection sites please remove the stand, tinsel and any ornaments.

A tentative date for the placement of the trees into the lake is March 10, 2012.  Volunteers are needed to help bundle and place the trees in the lake. A free lunch will be provided after the work is completed. More details on the fish habitat improvement workday will be announced at a later date.

For more information on this fish habitat project, contact Ken Pierson at (217) 774-3951, ext 4 or Mike Mounce at (217) 345-2420.