The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

PENDLETON, Ore.—Christmas tree permits for the Umatilla National Forest are available to purchase at Forest offices, several local businesses, and now online through http://www.recreation.gov.

Last year, the Umatilla National Forest was one of 13 national forests that offered Christmas tree permits online through a pilot program. This year, all national forests are selling Christmas tree permits online as an alternative to in-person interactions.

Christmas tree permits purchased online must be printed to be valid and can only be used on Umatilla National Forest lands, as specified on the permit. Christmas tree permits cost $5 each and are limited to one per household. An additional $2.50 fee will be charged for permits purchased through Recreation.gov.

Traditional Christmas tree permits are still available through Umatilla National Forest offices and several local businesses. All Umatilla National Forest offices are still offering virtual services to the public. Individuals interested in purchasing a Christmas tree permit from the Forest office may call any National Forest office or send an email to R6_umatilla_public_inquiries@fs.fed.us. A Forest employee will assist individuals with procedures to receive the Christmas tree permit in the mail upon receipt of payment.

Traditional permits are valid on National Forest System lands only and do not authorize tree cutting on private, state, or other federally managed lands.

As part of the national Every Kid Outdoors initiative, all fourth and fifth graders are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit from their local National Forest. Students must present a valid paper voucher printed from the Every Kid Outdoors website for students to receive a free tree permit. Visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/ and follow instructions to obtain and print the paper voucher.

For more information about purchasing a permit and gathering a Christmas tree online, please visit https://www.recreation.gov and search for Umatilla National Forest. 

For more information about the Christmas tree program on the Umatilla National Forest, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.

The following Washington state vendors offer traditional Christmas tree permits:

• Columbia Grain and Feed, Pasco

• The General Store, Dayton

• Farmers Exchange, Kennewick

• Hells Canyon NRA Office, Clarkston

• Pomeroy Foods, Pomeroy

• Schurman’s True Value, Clarkston

• Sportsman’s Warehouse, Kennewick

• Sportsman’s Warehouse, Walla Walla