The Van Trump Report

Only 70 Days Until Christmas… Did You Know You Can Cut Your Own Christmas Tree in Some National Parks?

Christmas is just around the corner and that means the Christmas decorating chore is even closer. For families with a tradition of decorating on Thanksgiving weekend, you’ve got about six weeks to get organized! If your family also loves the adventure of finding and cutting down a real tree every year, the US National Forest Service will let you take one off their hands for as little as $5.

The US Forest Service is encouraging more Americans to get their trees from a nearby federally protected forest because it helps improve the health of the overall ecosystem. Importantly, cutting out smaller trees allows those left behind to grow larger, which helps reduce wildfire risks. Removing smaller trees also helps wildlife by creating more forage areas.      

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, there are approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. every year. The average cost is between $80 to $100 and the bigger the tree, the bigger the price tag. A Christmas tree-cutting permit for a national forest averages just $5 to $10, depending on the park. In some instances, the permits are higher ($20 at several) but some are also free, though this is more rare and tends to coincide with extreme drought years.

Each forest predetermines specific areas where cutting is allowed and has limitations on the size and the species of trees that are permitted. According to the Forest Service, the areas that most benefit from thinning trees tend to house trees the “perfect size for Christmas.” The size limits are pretty high at most national forests, ranging mostly between 12 to 20 feet. While a 20 foot tree from a commercial operation can easily set you back more than $1,000, it would still only cost $5 to $10 at a national park…this blows my mind!

Jill Sidebottom, seasonal spokesperson for the National Christmas Tree Association, notes that trees from the forest are likely to be more “open” because they haven’t been sheared and packaged for the commercial market. Meaning you can pack them with more ornaments, lights, candy canes, and whatever else your family loves.

The only real downside for some folks might be the labor involved. You have to trek to the permitted cutting location, cut the tree down, and haul it all the way back to your vehicle, with no help from park staff.  

Tree cutting permits for 2024 went on sale starting October 10, although some parks start later. From what I understand, November is the busiest time for Christmas tree cutting at most national parks. Keep in mind, this only applies to federally protected forests, not state parks. You can find a national forest near you and purchase a permit online HERE. For what it’s worth, last year’s National Christmas Tree was a cut, 40-foot-tall Norway spruce from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. (Sources: National Parks Service, National Christmas Tree Association, Detroit Free Press)

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