Courtesy/SFNF
SFNF News:
SANTA FE — No need to worry about the predicted Christmas tree shortage this year. All you have to do is purchase a permit to cut your own Christmas tree on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF). Over-the-phone and online sales will begin Monday, Nov. 22.
Permits can be purchased online through Recreation.gov and printed at home as a convenient alternative to calling a SFNF office to purchase your permit over the phone. Permits purchased by phone from forest headquarters or any of the SFNF district offices will be delivered via postal mail along with maps and guidelines for harvesting a tree.
Customers in the Pecos area can also buy a Christmas tree permit at Pancho’s Minute Men Shell Station at 9 S. Main Street in Pecos. Call Pancho’s at 505.757.2620 to confirm permit availability. This year the SFNF will not be selling Christmas tree permits through any other third-party vendors, including REI in Santa Fe.
The SFNF’s nonrefundable Christmas tree permits are $10. Permits purchased online through Recreation.gov will include an additional $2.50 service fee. One tag is valid for a tree up to five inches in diameter and 10 feet in height. Trees taller than 10 feet and/or wider than five inches require an additional tag. For example, a 15-foot tree requires two tags. The Santa Fe National Forest has a three-tag limit per household.
You will need a Recreation.gov account to purchase a Christmas tree permit online. The SFNF’s Christmas tree permit page on Recreation.gov also includes need-to-know information about cutting your own tree, maps and tips for planning your adventure. You will need to print the online permit and place it on the dashboard of your vehicle before you head into the woods. The digital image on your smartphone is not considered a valid permit.
As part of the “Every Kid Outdoors” initiative, every fourth grader is eligible for a free holiday tree permit with a valid Every Kid Outdoors pass, downloadable at www.everykidoutdoors.gov. The student’s unique pass code is required to receive a free permit. Fourth graders can apply for their free permit through the online system by selecting the option and entering the code on their pass when prompted. The online Every Kid Outdoors permits will include the $2.50 service fee. Every Kid Outdoors permits can also be redeemed from the forest directly over the phone.
The cutting period for Christmas trees is Nov. 22 to Dec. 31, 2021. Permit holders should be prepared for unpredictable weather changes and colder conditions at higher elevations. Forest Service staff may be in the cutting areas to check permits and answer questions. \
Permit holders are asked to practice good stewardship. SFNF Christmas tree permits are valid only on land within forest boundaries. Tree cutting is prohibited in developed recreation sites and congressionally designated wilderness areas and within 300 feet of streams, rivers and paved roads. See this Forest Service video for more tips on harvesting your own Christmas tree.