| Contacts: | Tina Brown, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, 303-239-3668, tbrown@blm.gov | |||
| Barb Timock, USFS Public Affairs Specialist. 719-553-1415, btimock@fs.fed.us |
BLM and US Forest Service Christmas tree Permits Available
Canon City, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) are now offering Christmas tree permits. Permits may be purchased between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri. at the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office and the San Carlos Ranger District located at 3028 E. Main St. in Cañon City. The cost for a permit is $10 per tree with a limit of two trees per household.
A BLM permit is valid for trees located on BLM lands only. A USFS permit is valid for trees located on National Forest System lands within the boundaries of the San Carlos Ranger District.
Tree cutters must have a valid permit with them while cutting a tree. Trees may not be cut within a wilderness area, wilderness study area, timber sale area, or administrative sites such as developed campgrounds. Additional guidelines, tips, and maps of suggested cutting areas are available with a purchased permit.
There are several species of trees available depending on location. Tree species include: Douglas-Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Piñon Pine, White Fir, Spruce and Rocky Mountain Juniper.
BLM permits may also be purchased at the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Visitor Center at 307 West Sackett Ave. in Salida, Mon.-Fri. during regular business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
USFS permits for the San Carlos Ranger District may also be purchased at the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Supervisor’s office at 2840 Kachina Dr. in Pueblo, Mon.-Fri. during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). Permits will be available at the USFS offices in Westcliffe, 719-783-2079 and La Veta, 719-742-3681 please call prior to stopping by the offices, as they do not have established office hours.
Please plan ahead and be prepared for winter conditions; there can be more snow in the high country than in town. Some walking through snow may be necessary to get your tree; wear warm clothes and boots. Pack emergency supplies, carry the appropriate map and leave word with friends or relatives of your planned destination. Vehicles equipped for winter conditions with 4-wheel drive, snow tires or chains are encouraged. Start early, since winter days are shorter.
For more information call the BLM /USFS office at 719-269-8500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.