Six Rivers Selected to Provide 2021 US Capitol Christmas Tree

Christmas tree at the US Capitol

Christmas tree at the US Capitol building. [Photo from the US Forest Service]

Press release from Six Rivers:

It might only be February, but it’s never too early to think about that perfect Christmas tree, especially when it’s the one that will adorn the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol! Today, Six Rivers National Forest officials, in partnership with non-profit partner Choose Outdoors, proudly announced that the 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree would hail from the Six Rivers National Forest, in California. This is the first time the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be provided by the Six Rivers and the fifth time from the state of California.

Every year since 1970, the USDA Forest Service has provided the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Providing the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree—also known as “The People’s Tree”—is a great honor and opportunity for the State of California, the Six Rivers National Forest, and the entire North Coast of California to highlight the area’s breathtaking natural resources and cultural diversity, including those whose ancestors have called this area home since time immemorial.

The 2021 holiday season will kick off with the lighting of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, in early December. In addition, up to 100 smaller companion trees and tree skirts, along with 14,000 ornaments, handmade by Californians, will be sent to Washington, DC.

“California is honored to provide this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree as a living testament to the resiliency and fortitude of our beautiful national forests, despite a historic 2020 fire season,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “We are proud to showcase the Six Rivers National Forest on a national stage and look forward to the events leading up to December.”

“The North Coast has been rightly hailed for the unparalleled natural beauty of its forests, and it’s an honor to once again be able to share a part of our beautiful state with the U.S. Capitol and the people of America during the next holiday season,” said U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2). “This long-standing tradition serves as a way to unite the country and celebrate all our public lands and natural resources have to offer. Thank you to all of our partners in and outside of California who are making this special journey possible.”

The Six Rivers National Forest has partnered with Choose Outdoors to help implement the year-long public engagement campaign. The initiative is made possible with cash and in-kind contributions from companies large and small as well as volunteers locally and across America, who provide vital support of time and resources.

“The annual journey is only possible with the help of strong partnerships throughout California and beyond state lines,” said Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors. “We’re looking forward to bringing people together to celebrate our public lands, our diversity and the joy of the holiday season.”

“It’s going to be a lot of work,” said Kathy Mick, acting forest supervisor for the Six Rivers National Forest, “but we’re excited and can hardly wait to get started in our search for that perfect tree! But, like most of our projects on the Six Rivers, it’s going to be a collaborative effort, working alongside our partners and communities to shine a bright light on what we can do on California’s North Coast!”

To follow the exciting journey of the 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree—and to be a part of the festivities over the next 10 months—visit www.uscapitolchristmastree.com, @uscapitolchristmastree on Facebook and Instagram, or the Six Rivers National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/srnf or at @SixRiversNF on Facebook and Twitter.

For information about the history of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, visit the Architect of the Capitol’s website at www.aoc.gov/what-we-do/programs-ceremonies/capitol-christmas-tree.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors, at [email protected].

For more information about the 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and the Six Rivers National Forest, contact Nancy Henderson, U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Project Manager, at [email protected] or (530) 768-7814.

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Northern forests
Guest
Northern forests
3 years ago

Very cool

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
3 years ago

Christmas trees are racist. C’mon mxn!

Huh?
Guest
Huh?
3 years ago

I thought Biden was all about saving the planet and helping with climate change? So he chose to cut down a tree from an over-logged forest, then drive it across the entire country? Is it going to be an electric powered semi that pulls it? After the tree is admired for 30 or so days then thrown away, will the wood be crafted into anything useful or long lasting? Way to perpetuate the throw away culture Creepy Uncle Joe!

Country Bumpkin
Guest
Country Bumpkin
3 years ago
Reply to  Huh?

Over logged? What part of any national forest in the western US has been over logged in the last half century?

Skitty
Guest
Skitty
3 years ago

Exactly!!
I guess some people still upset about the election “steal “ have to get in their politics one way or another.

Josey wales
Guest
Josey wales
3 years ago
Reply to  Skitty

Bumkin indeed. EVERY forest outside the redwood old growth is over logged. Forests’ timelines are measured in centuries not decades.
Globally, We need the carbon sequestered. The biggest trees sequester the most carbon per year.
I don’t don’t feel honored by this. I feel assaulted. I don’t feel like this item belongs in the good news. I feel like it belongs in the “good God, how dumb can you get” category.

Cy Anse
Guest
Cy Anse
3 years ago
Reply to  Josey wales

This simply isn’t true, at least not for the forests of the western US and California forests in particular. Currently forests in California are growing roughly 7 times as much wood each year as is logged. Most of the current logging is centered on private forest industry lands with the National Forests coming in a distant second.

The biggest trees are not the best carbon sequestration sinks, though coast redwood is an exception to this general rule. Big trees are generally the biggest carbon banks (or storehouse) in a forest but for many species, growth rates decline as they approach their maximum size and more of their photosynthesis goes to maintenance metabolism. If you put the harvested trees into some form of long-term use (e.g. a building), then replace them with young, fast-growing trees you can end up with a net carbon benefit.

It does have to be balanced though in order to improve net carbon gain. The very worst thing you can do for a forest is to remove it and turn the land into any thing else (like a cannabis grow or a farm or a residential development) from a carbon banking point of view.

Steve Adams
Guest
Steve Adams
3 years ago

That one northeast of Happy Camp and Seiad Valley, the Klamath. Cut just about every stick of old growth they could find. I knew three generations of fellers up there and they told me it was a lie that the forest was well managed. I personally saw areas that were reforested that had still been overgrown with brambles and had not a tree come up. Maybe they changed but I doubt it. Blamed the spotted owl.

Country Bumpkin
Guest
Country Bumpkin
3 years ago

How bout we ship over one of the millions of burnt trees after US Forest Service mismanaged the august complex. Only a small part was 6R forest but would still make the point. Hopefully FS allows timely salvage logging to create jobs and diminish hazard fuels for future burns.

Steve Adams
Guest
Steve Adams
3 years ago

Colorado waited too long. No roads to the areas with 100% budworm death, 1,000’s upon 1,000’s of acres are still awaiting the spark of lightning.

Ice
Guest
Ice
3 years ago

The FS tried salvage logging after the Megram fire and many others in the last 25 years. It got shut down by environmentalists every time..not the FS decision.

Prometheus
Guest
Prometheus
3 years ago

I look forward to seeing our tree in DC…

Steve Adams
Guest
Steve Adams
3 years ago
Reply to  Prometheus

Colorado waited too long. No roads to the areas with 100% budworm death, 1,000’s upon 1,000’s of acres are still awaiting the spark of lightning.

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
3 years ago

This must be part of the covid stimulus bill

Mark
Guest
Mark
3 years ago

Da’ Plane!