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When it comes to finding the perfect Christmas tree, William Ryan has an answer based on science.
Every year, the city of Lyon downloads official U.S. Forest Service maps of roads (Apple and Google’s maps don’t have everything) and examines satellite imagery to determine which roads are reasonably accessible and which have not been burned by fire. Look for green groves that don’t seem to have any.
Then, after obtaining a Christmas tree permit from the U.S. Forest Service, Ryan and his wife Amelia trek to the national forest near their home in Missoula, Montena, to find wild evergreens.
With a U.S. Forest Service Christmas tree permit, William and Amelia Lyon trekked to the national forest near their home to find wild evergreens.
(William Ryan)
It’s a tradition the Forest Service has encouraged across the country, including Northern and Central California, for decades. Forest officials say it will help reduce the risk of forest fires, support biodiversity and generate income. Every year, Americans cut down hundreds of thousands of Christmas trees, which often cost less than $20.
“You’ll definitely be saved. [the Forest Service] meet forest management goals,” said Janelle Smith, public affairs specialist for USFS and Recreation.gov. “Part of their forest management goals is that people care about these places and want to protect them, so they have a good experience.”
This tree not only allows us to send families on expeditions that connect them with their local forests (leaving a festive memento that’s sure to leave needles all over your living room), but it also allows us to complete much-needed forest thinning. You can also enlist the help of thousands of volunteers.
The Forest Service has issued permits for the sale of more than 300,000 Christmas trees in 2023, Smith said. Approximately 3 in 10 were sold at ranger stations across the country. The rest were purchased through Recreation.gov. Recreation.gov is a centralized site used by more than a dozen federal agencies to make it easier for Americans to access public lands in the wild.
Every year, Americans cut down hundreds of thousands of Christmas trees, which often cost less than $20.
(William Ryan)
Each year, rangers in many of America’s more than 150 national forests designate areas where Christmas tree harvesting is allowed. These areas are often located in dense parts of the forest, sometimes along unwieldy winding roads, where young conifers dominate the forest floor.
Poor young people who monopolize forests can provide fuel for wildfires and often inhibit the growth of other types of trees and plants, including staple food for local wildlife. Flower types often fail to germinate because young trees block sunlight, which leaves little nectar for essential pollinators.
Research assistant James Johnston said: “Although unlikely, removing some small young trees, such as those planted at home as Christmas trees, would have significant benefits for forest health and wildlife.” There is a possibility.” A professor at the University of Oregon who studies restoration forestry.
But with 300 billion trees in the country and the Forest Service planting millions of trees each year, the hundreds of thousands of trees that people cut down each year probably have a big impact on the environment and wildfires in general. Johnston said there is nothing to give away.
“The biggest benefit of harvesting Christmas trees on National Forest lands is the opportunity to get out into nature with friends and family and enjoy the beautiful scenery,” he said. “Being able to be graceful with your family while tying a tree to the roof of your car is good for your physical and mental health.”
2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
(Ian Grob/USDA Forest Service)
Unfortunately for Southern Californians, none of the National Forests in Angeles, Los Padres, Cleveland, or San Bernardino issue permits to cut down Christmas trees.
However, for Angelenos who want a natural Christmas tree cutting experience, Sequoia National Forest offers permits. However, be careful not to accidentally cut your baby giant sequoia.
The Christmas tree cutting program began in the 1950s, when rangers began noticing that people were sneaking into national forests to cut down trees, sometimes selling them to the public.
Illegal logging has left some areas so thin that Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest has decided to formalize the process with permits. This custom spread throughout the country.
Forest Service officials today said the program offers a Christmas tree adventure like no other.
In preparation, the Forest Service is asking participants to follow all safety guidelines to enjoy the National Forest and cut down their own trees. It’s icy roads, high elevation, navigating in and out of cell phone service, and swinging a saw deep into the USDA’s remote countryside. It’s a little more intense than grabbing a plastic tree at a target.
Smith has seen many cars slip and slide on icy Forest Service roads while searching for trees. Once, she had to put her Christmas tree hunt on hold to help pull her car out of a ditch.
Smith said permit holders should be sure to have tire chains, equipment to secure trees to their vehicles and, most importantly, a saw when traveling in cold environments.
“I read an article where…they hiked for an hour and a half and they were like, ‘Okay, let’s cut down the tree,’ and no one had a saw,” Smith said. He laughed as he recalled the story. Check out the 1 remaining permit holder on Recreation.gov. “So they had to go back and start over.”
(Ryan admitted he made the same mistake one year, but luckily he had an ax in his car, so he was able to chop down the tree the good old-fashioned way.)
“It’s sometimes comical and always really emotional to have people comment on their first experience of going out and cutting a tree,” Smith said. “Because they discover something they never thought they could do. They were able to get their families together and go out and have a great experience.”
For Lyon, who often camps and hikes in the woods during the warmer months, it’s a way to enjoy the nearby wilderness during the snowy season. The couple makes it a point to go a little further afield and explore new areas.
“My wife and I do it together every year,” he said. “She always likes to pick out the perfect thing that we find on a short walk, so we end up with a fun day in the woods.”
The Forest Service says any connections people develop with the forest along their journey are intentional.
“When you value something, you want to cherish that something,” Smith said. “When you step into your local forest or public lands and connect with it in a way that creates those lifelong memories, that’s a place you want to be protected. This is a place I want to take you to.”
Early in his career with the Forest Service, Smith greeted permit holders in Colorado’s Pike National Forest with Smokey the Bear handing out candy to children. Now, she takes her children to local national forests to experience the program.
“It became a lifelong memory for us and a tradition that we really cherish,” she said.
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