PLENTY OF USES AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTMAS TREES

After the Christmas-New Year's holiday season, the "lovely" Christmas tree branches in the song "O Christmas Tree" could to be replaced with "annoying." But there are some simple solutions for people who don't know how to dispose of their "live" Christmas tree.

The holidays, which always seem to come and go all too quickly, are rapidly disappearing, and residents soon will be facing the chore of dismantling or disposing of the family tree.

You can't drag the tree to the city dump any more. Senate Bill 530, solid-waste legislation that was passed two years ago, took care of that. The bill prohibits Christmas trees and other yard wastes from being placed in landfills.

Cape Girardeans can haul their trees to a special site in Arena Park, where they will be "recycled," used for fish habitat in area ponds and lakes, or ground into landscaping mulch that will be made available to residents.

The drop-off area is in south Arena Park at Spartech and Optimist Drive. The area will be marked by an orange fence, and there is no charge for leaving the tree.

The drop-off site at Arena Park is now open and will remain open through January.

Another option of city residents is to request a special pickup.

"We'll be doing basically the same as we did last year for disposal of trees in Cape Girardeau," said a spokesperson for the public works office. "We'll pick the three up at curbside for a $5 fee, but residents must call the public works offices for the special Wednesday pickup."

"We'll be running the first Wednesday pickup Jan. 5," said the spokesperson.

Christmas Trees will also be picked at a number of sites throughout Southeast Missouri for use as fish shelters in Clearwater and Wappapello lakes.

The Corps of Engineers has established three collection points in the Wappapello Lake area -- Redman Creek Boat Ramp or Sundowner Marina in Wappapello, and the American Superstore in Poplar Bluff. Trees may be left at these sites through Jan. 7.

Collection points for the Clearwater Lake area include Ralph's Supermarket and Town & Country Supermarket at Piedmont; Town and Country Supermarket at Ellington, and Phillips Bestway in Annapolis. Trees may be left in the Clearwater lake area until Jan. 8.

"We use the trees to provide an effective and economical means of providing fish habitat," said Michael McClendon, a Corps spokesman at Lake Wappapello. "There are 18 fish shelters in the lake."

The fish shelters provide fish with breeding areas, resting places and protection, say fish conservationists.

"Fishermen have learned that these shelters attract many game species of fish and are productive fishing locations," said McClendon. "For these fish shelters to remain productive, however, new structures must be added each year."

McClendon, and Joe A. Corbin, a spokesman for the Corps of Engineers at Clearwater Lake, said the fish shelters represent one of the most popular recycling methods for Christmas trees."

The trees can easily be prepared as fish habitat by taking a 50-pound concrete block, wiring four or five average-size trees to the block and sinking them.

The new tree shelters will be distributed in the lakes later in January.

"We're always looking for volunteers to help submerge the trees in the lake," said McClendon. "Volunteers can check in at Redman Creek and Sundowner boat ramps between 8:30 and 9 a.m. on Jan. 29. for the Wappapello Lake operation." Additional information at Wappapello is available by contacting the Wappapello Lake Management office, 222-8562.

Anyone wanting to help build and transport fish shelters at Clearwater may call the Clearwater Lake resident's office in Piedmont, 223-7777.

Only real trees can be used as fish attractors. They must be free of all ornamentation.