A tree from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest has been selected as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, the U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday.
The tree is an 80-foot-tall grand fir located on the Salmon River Ranger District. The government is keeping its exact location confidential for its protection. The tree will be harvested in late October.
Jim Kaufmann, executive director of capitol grounds and arboretum, spent a week in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests evaluating 60 trees selected by Forest Service employees.
In a statement, Kaufmann said he chose the grand fir for its “perfect form and full shape.”
The tree will stand in front of the U.S. Capitol Building and be decorated with lights. It will also be decorated with 10,000 handmade ornaments created by local community members. According to previous Moscow-Pullman Daily News reporting, local schoolchildren, members of 4-H Clubs and people attending community events like Grangeville Border Days and Kooskia Days are all contributing their own ornaments.
After it’s harvested, the tree will make several “whistle-stops” in Idaho towns and across the country so people can view the tree in person and learn about public lands.
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a tradition that dates back to the 1970s. This is the third year an Idaho tree has been selected for this distinction. Past trees have come from the Boise National Forest in 2003 and Payette National Forest in 2016.
People can visit uscapitolchristmastree.com for more opportunities to make ornaments for this year’s tree.
The Salmon River Ranger District spans 536,000 acres on the southwest end of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.