Recycled trees go toward feeding fish

AUSTINTOWN — If you recycled your Christmas tree by delivering it to the township park on Kirk Road, you can know that it’s being put to good use by some hungry fish.

If you fish, you might be very interested in knowing where yours and about 300 other township residents’ trees ended up.

Dan Wright of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife came to the trustees meeting Monday to thank the township park department for its help collecting the trees, which the division eventually wired to cinder blocks and sunk in Mosquito and Berlin lakes.

The division was expected to do the same this morning at Lake Milton.

“None of it would have happened if it weren’t for Austintown Parks,” Wright told trustees.

Wright explained that once the trees are sunk in the lakes, bugs come to eat the needles and branches. Minnows come to eat the bugs, and larger fish are drawn to feed on the minnows.

“Guys love ’em for crappies,” he said.

Wright said the division collected almost 500 trees this year, with the other 200 coming from Home Depot in Canton.

“Next year we’re hoping to do it again,” he said.

Anyone who would like to know where the sunken trees are can contact Wildlife District Three, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron, OH 44319, or call (330) 644-2293.