Christmas Tree Permits Will Soon Be On Sale

October is soon to be over and that means it is one month closer to the Christmas holiday season. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Service will begin doling out tree permits November 1 for folks that want to chop down a Christmas tree from the national forest to put as this year's living room centerpiece. Christmas tree permits can be bought online or at participating national forest offices.

"For folks to be able to cut a tree from the national forest, they must have a permit in hand," said Robin DeMario, public affairs specialist.

Permits that are purchased via web must be printed to be considered valid. Christmas tree permits cost $5 each with a two permit limit per household. Each permit allows a family to cut one tree with a height limit of 15 feet or have the option to dig a small live transplant tree.

"All fourth graders who are participating in the Every Kid Outdoors initiative can come into national forest offices to obtain a free Christmas tree permit," said DeMario. "What they need to have with them is their Every Kid Outdoors pass or a valid paper voucher printed from the Every Kid Outdoors website, but that's a great opportunity for these fourth graders to obtain a free Christmas tree permit and head out to the forest with their families and cut their Christmas tree."

These permits are only good for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.