Forest fresh and festive

A happy customer shows off the sand pine she harvested from the Ocala National Forest. [Photo courtesy USDA Forest Service]

If you are a fan of having a live Christmas tree, you may want to consider having one that you can cut from the millions of trees in the Ocala National Forest.

The USDA Forest Service offers a program through which you can buy a permit and harvest a sand pine. And while you get a lovely tree to decorate, the program aids in maintaining a healthy forest.

According to timber management assistant Denton Giovenco and zone silviculturist Jared Nobles, “We focus on recently reseeded sand pine areas up to roughly six years old. The Christmas tree harvests promote overall forest health of these stands by reducing overall stocking of the regenerating pine, allowing more space for healthy sand pine to flourish and grow.”

Permits are currently on sale to cut trees this holiday season.

“Permits are available for purchase on recreation.gov through Christmas day. All trees under permit are to be harvested by end of Christmas day,” Giovenco noted.

The process is straightforward, but there are rules. You cannot, for example, cut a tree on private land or in wilderness areas, designated campgrounds or tree plantations. Those embarking on this adventure are cautioned, however, that what they find might range from a “Charlie Brown” tree to something really unique.

Information on the recreation.gov website notes that, “Getting a Christmas tree permit does not guarantee that you find a suitable tree! Many trees in the Ocala National Forest are fun to harvest but are not necessarily ‘showroom’ quality trees.”

Even so, many a customer has come out of the forest with a beautiful sand pine that soon would be covered with treasured ornaments and glittering lights.

The permit website offers tips for planning your journey into the great wild spaces of the Ocala National Forest, such as letting someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back as cell service may be spotty or unavailable. Guests also are urged to bring a map, dress appropriately for the weather and use caution as it is hunting season.

“Wear bright clothing. Make yourself visible. Choose colors that stand out (red or orange), and avoid white, blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-colored clothing,” the site notes.

And, since this is the great outdoors, “Be sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas. Bring a spare key and give it to someone else in your party. Don’t get locked out of your car! Bring plenty of food and water with you as well as an overnight survival kit in case you become stranded.”

Once you find a tree you like, practical advice includes carrying it out, rather than dragging it out, which will rub off needles and bark.

And be sure to bring the right tools: A measuring tape, a handsaw, gloves, boots and a tarp to sit on and/or to move your tree once it’s cut and ropes or straps to secure the tree to your vehicle.

Other tips are offered by Jim Corliss, president of the National Christmas Tree Association.

“Buying it fresh and keeping it fresh are the most important things to remember about selecting and caring for your Christmas tree,” he said in a post online.

Corliss suggests checking a tree’s freshness by gently grasping a branch between your thumb and forefinger and pulling it gently toward you.

“Few needles should come off in your hand if the tree is fresh. Take a look at the ground around the tree. You shouldn’t see an excessive amount of green needles on the ground. Some loss of brown needles is normal,” he notes.

When you get your tree home, forest service officials recommend you spray it with bug spray outside your home and let it stand for about an hour or two to help make sure ticks and spiders don’t come inside with the sand pine.

The cost for one tree is $10 and you may purchase up to five permits. The website has two maps showing the areas from which trees may be harvested this holiday season.

The website includes testimonials, such as this one from Kathryn R.: “Obtaining the permit online was easy, and you cannot beat the price! We had a blast searching for a Christmas tree with our son, daughter-in-law, and the grandkids. Ocala National Forest has long needle pines, so the tree is not going to look like one you would get at a lot or see on TV, but the experience was the best! I highly recommend doing this at least once in your life!”

To get a permit to cut a tree from the Ocala National Forest, go to recreation.gov/tree-permits/382fc732-ec57-11ea-bcba-fa43c1aabce3

Sand pines may be harvested from the Ocala National Forest each holiday season. [Photo courtesy USDA Forest Service]