RUTLAND, Vt. – U.S. Forest Service officials in Vermont are welcoming the public to select and cut a Christmas tree on the Green Mountain National Forest with the purchase of a permit. For the first time, permits will now be available for purchase either online or in-person at a GMNF office. In support of the Every Kid Outdoors initiative, this year the Forest Service will provide all fourth and fifth grade students with a free Christmas tree voucher by registering at www.everykidoutdoors.gov. Fourth and fifth graders who register must present a printed voucher to redeem a Christmas tree permit.
Trees may only be cut within designated areas as indicated in maps, and trees over 20 feet tall are not covered by the permit. The tree must be cut at a point no higher than 6 inches off the ground. Permit holders must remove all trash and litter resulting from their activities. This includes removing all woody debris from road surfaces, ditches, and culvert openings where cutting took place.
For more information, contact the Forest Supervisor’s Office, 231 N. Main Street, in Rutland, at 802-747-6700; Manchester Ranger Station, 2538 Depot St., at 802-362-2307; or Rochester Ranger Station, 99 Ranger Rd., at 802-767-4261.