Remember To Bring Your Christmas Trees To The Fairgrounds In Glasgow

If you plan to take down your Christmas decorations this weekend (or sometime in the next few weeks), remember to not throw your tree away. Instead, bring it to the Valley County Fairgrounds in Glasgow at the Boy Scout food booth near the grandstands.

Lane Thompson, a member of Boy Scout Troop 861, and Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries staff are asking folks to return their trees with the intention to use these discarded trees as artificial fish habitat. Returned trees will be bundled and placed on the ice at the Fort Peck Trout Pond later this winter, where they will remain until melting causes them to fall through and settle to the bottom.

"The goal of these tree bundles is to improve and increase fish habitat availability in the Trout Pond and ultimately improve the fishery," said Jared Krebs, Glasgow-area fisheries biologist.

Both Thompson and FWP staff are asking that trees be returned to the Valley County Fairgrounds in Glasgow at the Boy Scout food booth near the grandstands following the holidays, and that all trees are free of flocking, tinsel, and other artificial decorations prior to return. All natural trees that are clean of decorations are welcome and can be donated.

This effort between Troop 861 and FWP will allow Thompson to complete his Eagle Scout project, as well as accomplish fisheries management objectives addressing habitat concerns at the Fort Peck Trout Pond.

"I appreciate folks taking this opportunity to help create fish habitat and help me complete my Eagle Scout Project," adds Thompson.

Any fisheries related questions about this project can be directed to Krebs via email or phone at [email protected] or 406-808-7068.