You Can Cut Your Own Christmas Tree in a National Forest This Year

Here’s how to keep it legal.

A person standing amid a Christmas tree forest.
Unsplash/Spencer Pugh
Unsplash/Spencer Pugh

With Thanksgiving and its attendant sales already under our belts this year, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas decorating and all of the parts of its sum. Object 1: The tree. Whether you go for the tiny tabletop variety or score the biggest balsam in the church parking lot, the Christmas tree is the focus of many Santa-centric holiday displays. And, according to Travel and Leisure, you can source your very own beauty straight from a national forest this year. 

As T&L points out, you’ll need to do a little more than shine up your ax and pre-write your Instagram captions. It is imperative to confirm that your chosen national forest allows DIY tree chopping. Then, you must obtain a permit from one of the 88 participating locations. Some are free, some are available with a $5-$25 fee, and some are hot commodities, so you’d better branch out and ask your local forest about its regulations A-sap. Sorry. 

Even once you think you’re in the clear, familiarize yourself with the United States Department of Agriculture’s best practices. Some of these measures (check the latest forest warnings; dress appropriately for the weather; exercise an abundance of caution to not get lost) are for your safety, and others (don’t chop a tall tree just for its top) will help preserve the integrity of the lovely land so that you and other would-be woodspeople can make many happy returns. 

A naturally outdoor adventure, chopping your own tree one way to get festive with minimal social-distancing effort. But don't expect to be alone out there, exactly. More than 200,000 tree permits are sold each year, according to USDA Forest Service reps.  

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