Want to take a gorgeous road trip, help fight forest fires and score a free (or at least dirt-cheap) Christmas tree, to boot? Then pack your gear and set course for a national forest in California, where you have the chance to pick and chop down your very own tree until December’s end or whenever permits run out.
Having the public cut its own trees is a way for these forests to reduce wildfire fuel — 2022 hasn’t been a particularly bad fire season, comparatively, but you never know what next year will bring. Right now, Stanislaus National Forest is offering the service for free (well, excluding a $2.50 service charge) with a max of two trees per household. Permits are available on its website. Eldorado is sold out and Sequoia has nothing to offer due to recent fires, but many other forests are open to choppin’ as well for a $10 permit; see below for a sampling.
There are some caveats: Many forests will tell you where you can and can’t cut, and what you can cut (like pines, firs and cedar, but not hardwoods like aspen or oak) with height and trunk-diameter limits. Note that cell service is often spotty or nonexistent in these wilderness areas, so plan accordingly. And check the forest websites for updates on road or trail closures due to winter snow and ice.
A few tree-cutting tips from Recreation.gov:
Carry your tree carefully out of the woods. Dragging the tree will rub off needles and bark.
Tools to bring with you include a measuring tape; handsaw to cut your tree; gloves to protect your hands; boots to protect your feet; a tarp to sit on and/or to move your tree once it’s cut; and rope or straps to secure your tree to your vehicle.
Choose a tree from a dense forested area, which will give the remaining trees more space to grow.
Cut the leftover branches from the stump and scatter them.
Here are some of the places in Northern California allowing the cutting of trees this season. For Southern California or other national forests around the U.S., consult the map at Recreation.gov:
Stanislaus National Forest
Free, max two trees per household. Permits
Mendocino National Forest
$10 per tree, max three trees per household. Permits
Plumas National Forest
$10 per tree, max two trees per household. Permits
Tahoe National Forest
$10 per tree, max two trees per household. Several districts to visit are available. Permits
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
$10 per tree, max one tree per household. A limited number of permits are left and must be purchased at the Supervisor’s Office during weekday hours at 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe. Permits
Source: www.mercurynews.com