O Tannenbaum! Leadville’s Got Trees!

The Snow Arrives in Leadville

Christmas Pines Smell Divine

Every November, the Leadville Lions Club heads to the Climax Mine to harvest the trees from their property, a tradition dating back decades. Once the trucks and trailers are loaded with the perfect Tannenbaum selections, the club sets up their Christmas tree lot in the parking area at Centennial Real Estate at Poplar and E.11th Streets.

The trees range in price starting at $15 and can be purchased 24 hours a day, seven days a week until they are gone. If the real estate office is not open, simply slip your check in the mail slot, as instructed. The sale of these Christmas trees supports the many programs put on by the local Lions club, including the Fourth of July Fireworks, the High School Career Fair, the flag program for Harrison Avenue and many more. If it gets done in Leadville, then the Lions Club is usually behind it! ROAR!

Forest Service Permits Online

The Leadville Ranger Districts on the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands offer the opportunity for forest visitors to continue a tradition or start a new one by moving all holiday tree permit sales online starting October 15 through for the 2020 holiday tree permit season.

Be sure of the area you are purchasing a permit for. Each permit has a unique number associated with it so permits purchased through the Recreation.gov website must be printed to be valid. Visitors will need to display the printed permit on the dash of their vehicle on the day they visit the forest to cut their tree.

Visitors must establish a Recreation.gov account to purchase a permit and may access their permit through their account at any time. There is a reservation fee of $2.50 for permits sold to customers for the reservation service and support from the Recreation.gov system and staff. The funds from Christmas tree permits purchased through the Recreation.gov system will go back to the participating Forest through Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) funding requirements.

Leadville Ranger District

According to the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands USFS website in Leadville the Christmas trees are $10 per permit with a limit of 2 permits per household. Christmas tree cutting is allowed throughout the Leadville Ranger District except at campgrounds, trailheads, ski areas, wilderness areas, and the recreation area near Turquoise Lake.

ABCs and FREE Christmas Trees

O Tannenbaum, it’s a good time of year to know a 4th grader! Yes, it’s true that through the Every Kid Outdoors initiative the Forest Service is offering one free Holiday Tree permit to fourth-graders that have a valid 4th Grade Interagency Pass. These free Holiday Tree permits are available through the online system by selecting the option and then entering their voucher or pass number when prompted.

Forest health is important, by removing these smaller trees you are contributing to the overall wellbeing of the forest and reducing fire danger. Persons cutting or removing trees from the National Forest without a valid permit are subject to a fine of up to $5000 and/or 6 months imprisonment.

Trees may be cut District-wide with a few exceptions. Developed recreation sites and Wilderness areas are closed to cutting. Permits will be issued for each tree that is harvested and should be securely fastened to the tree before transporting them from the area. Handsaws and axes are the only tools allowed – chainsaws are prohibited.

Remember to wear warm clothes and bring a rope to secure the tree to the vehicle. Also keep in mind that U.S. Forest Service roads are not plowed and some roads close seasonally on Dec. 1. Please call the Leadville District Office at 719-486-0749 or, visit the website for additional information.

Forest Offer Temporary Summer Jobs

If working outside next summer sounds good to you, then the time to apply for more than 160 temporary positions for the 2021 United States Forest Service season is quickly approaching. Temporary wildland fire positions are open for applications now through Nov. 27, while the application period for a large variety of non-fire jobs including resource, recreation and support positions runs Dec. 1-11.

“These temporary positions are open to people across the country, and we want to make sure local residents know about this great opportunity to work for their local forest,” said Acting Forest Supervisor Lisa Stoeffler.

The application period is open through Nov. 27 for 17 temporary wildfire positions on the White River National Forest, including firefighters (called forestry technicians or aids), helitack crew members, and dispatchers. The positions are based in Grand Junction, Rifle, Eagle and Silverthorne. Offers will be made in January with the season typically beginning in April and ending in October, depending on weather and funding.

CSFS Forester Mandy Scott Conducts a Forest Inventory in Pitkin County (c) Kamie Long, CSFS

The Forest will also be advertising more than 150 non-fire temporary positions Dec. 1-11. These jobs include customer service; recreation; wilderness and trails; biological technicians in wildlife, fisheries and botany; range management; and equipment operators. Locations include Aspen, Carbondale, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Meeker, Minturn, and Silverthorne. Position starting and ending dates vary, but they cover the 2021 field season, typically April or May through September.

“We look for dedicated individuals from all walks of life and of all abilities to join our workforce,” Stoeffler said. “Temporary positions with the USDA Forest Service are a great way to gain valuable experience, work outdoors, and get exposure to different careers.”

View the announcements and apply for the jobs on www.USAJOBS.gov. More information about positions across the Rocky Mountain Region is available on www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/jobs.  Visit Tips for Applicants for help with the application process.