BOZEMAN, Mont. – When it’s time to take down the Christmas tree, Hungry Mother State Park hopes those with fresh-cut trees will bring them to park for recycling in a way that helps out the lake’s fish.
Before donating trees and bringing them the lake, all the ornaments, hooks, tinsel and other decorations need to be removed. Once there, park staff will tie the trees to cinderblocks and submerge them in the lake to be used as habitat for fish. Due to the age of Hungry Mother Lake, officials explained, there is no natural structure left at the bottom of the lake for fish and other wildlife to find places to live and hang out. All the old trees and stumps have decayed and rotted away.
So, each year, Hungry Mother State Park, in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Resources and students from Grand Valley State in Michigan, places trees in desirable locations to help create artificial habitat for fish and other aquatic animals.
Christmas trees should be brought to the Hungry Mother boat ramp off Mitchell Valley Road. Donors are asked to place your tree behind the split-rail fence as you first drive into the area. Please do not leave trees at the boat ramp itself, as they get in the way of loading and unloading boats and the anglers trying to access the lake in that area.
The award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK (7275) or visit www.virginiastate.
