U.S.F.S. News release - Christmas Tree permits

News Release

US Forest Service
Mendocino National Forest

Public Affairs Officer
Tamara Schmidt
Phone: (530) 934-1137
Fax: (530) 934-7384
Email: tamaraschmidt@fs.fed.us

Mendocino National Forest Christmas Tree Permits Available Starting Monday

Willows, November 14, 2008 - Beginning Monday, November 17, Christmas tree permits will be available from the Mendocino National Forest for the 2008 holiday season.

Permits are $10 per tree and will be sold through Friday December 19. The permits are good through December 24, 2008, and trees may be cut and removed any day of the week in any authorized area of the Mendocino National Forest.

There is a limit of one permit per household and each permit using a valid name and address. Up to four additional permits may be purchased for additional households using separate names and addresses. Individuals must be 18 or older to purchase a permit. The Mendocino National Forest only accepts cash or check as payment for Christmas tree permits and sales are final, with no refunds. Permittees will receive a tree tag and map of the Forest.

Permits are also available by mail. Send a printed name and address to which the permit is to be mailed, a printed name and address for each permit purchased, a daytime telephone number, and a check or money order made out to "US Forest Service" for $10 for each permit to either the Willows, Upper Lake or Covelo offices with "Christmas Tree Permit" written on the outside of the envelope. Mail-in requests received after December 15 will not be filled. A form can be found online at www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/passespermits/christmas/.

If you are planning on cutting a Christmas tree for someone else who isn't present, a Third Party Authorization must be in possession of the cutter. This form is also available on the Forest Web site.

Permit holders should be aware that federal and state quarantines to prevent the spread of sudden oak death (SOD) are in effect for Lake and Mendocino Counties. Any Douglas fir Christmas tree cut in these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantine counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.

All Mendocino National Forest offices will be closed Thursday, November 27 in observance of Thanksgiving. Christmas tree permits can be purchased from the following offices:

Mendocino National Forest Supervisor's Office/Grindstone Ranger District Office
825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-3316
Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Stonyford Work Center
5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road, Stonyford, CA, 95979
(530) 963-3128
Hours:& Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1- 4:30 p.m.

Covelo Ranger Station
78150 Covelo Road, Covelo, CA 95428
(707) 983-6118
Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Weekends December 6, 7, 13, 14, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-4:30 p.m.

Upper Lake Ranger Station
10025 Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake, CA 95485
(707) 275-2361
Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Weekends December 6, 7, 13, 14, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-4:30 p.m.

Cutting a Christmas tree on the National Forest is a great holiday tradition for many families and also helps with hazardous fuels reduction by removing smaller trees from the Forest. Following are some tips to make your experience more enjoyable.

• Plan your trip - check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes, water, emergency food, tire chains, shovel, a saw or axe to cut your tree, and a tarp and rope to bring it home. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing conditions in the mountains! Also, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.
• Keep vehicles on designated roads and be aware of changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are puddles in the road, mud flipping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over and taking a hike to look for a tree, or turning around and finding a different area to cut your tree.
• Cut your tree early in the season before favorite cutting areas can't be reached because of snow.
• Make sure you are cutting a tree on the Mendocino National Forest and not from other federal, state or private lands.
• Cut the tree as close as possible to the ground and leave as little of a stump as possible.
• Attach the permit on the tree where it will be easily visible with the tree packed or tied on your vehicle for transport home.
• To help keep your tree fresh, cut at least one inch off the base when you get home and stand the tree in a container of water in a cool, shaded area, checking the water level daily.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/passespermits/christmas/.

Source: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/news/2008/11-14-xtree/