SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit’s (LTBMU) announced last year that the Christmas Tree Permit Program will pause, starting this fall of 2024, for several years due to limited cutting areas suitable for gathering Christmas trees.

Over the last two decades, most legal and safe areas to park during snow removal conditions have been cleared of suitable trees or are currently being treated for forest health and fuels reduction projects. The LTBMU has confirmed that Christmas tree permits will be available from the neighboring Eldorado, Humboldt-Toiyabe and Tahoe national forests.

“The temporary pause will allow ongoing forest health and fuels reduction projects to be completed in some areas where Christmas tree cutting was permitted in the past and give saplings time to grow large enough in other locations to support a Christmas tree program in the future,” said Vegetation Management Staff Officer, Victor Lyon.

In support of the Every Kid Outdoors (EKO) Program, the LTBMU will continue to offer one free Christmas tree permit to fourth-grade students who present a valid EKO Pass. Students must be present to receive their permit and present when cutting the tree. Visit the EKO website for more information and to obtain the EKO Pass.

Lyon continued, “Given our commitment to supporting the EKO program and the limited number of permits requested, we will find an appropriate location to continue to allow free tree cutting permits for fourth-grade students.”

The LTBMU’s popular Christmas tree permit program began over 20 years ago to offer families a traditional holiday experience while improving forest health by removing small diameter ladder fuels (vegetation that allows wildfire to climb from the forest floor into the treetops) from the forest. Since the program began, an average of 2,500 permits were sold each year. The LTBMU thanks everyone who participated in this successful program over the years.