Christmas Tree Permits Now Available in Washington State

As the holiday season is fast approaching, Christmas tree permits are now available.

To harvest your own Christmas tree in Washington state, you'll need to purchase a permit. And you can do that today, from a number of places.

• You can purchase permits online at Recreation.gov.
• You can purchase a permit from a local vendor
• You can purchase a permit at most national forest offices.

Permits are $5 per tree for most national forests in Washington, and $10 for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Trees are available to cut until December 24.

What to know BEFORE you go cut a tree down:

Make sure you are on public land and cutting a tree designed for Christmas trees. You can find maps of where you can cut on recreation.gov, or on the Christmas tree permit page from your local forest.

I''ve NEVER had the opportunity to cut down a REAL Christmas tree. I've been gifted two REAL Christmas trees, ever. Some day, though, I plan to go to one of our state forests and cut down my own tree.

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Remember, there are guidelines to follow for how to select and cut your tree:

• Cut one tree per permit. Five permits per household maximum.
• Select trees not more than 12 feet tall.
• Tree topping is prohibited.
• Cut the tree 12 inches or less above the ground level.
• To make your trip back to the car easier, slide your tree on a plastic tarp.
• Upon return to your vehicle, punch out month, day, and year on permit. Immediately attach permit securely to your freshly cut tree where it will be clearly visible.