Both Santa Fe and Carson national forests will be offering tags until Dec. 24.
The Forest Service will provide permittees with approved locations, and it requests that people not cut trees within campgrounds or picnic areas, in designated wilderness areas or on private lands. Trees should be tagged before they are cut, and stumps should not be left more than 6 inches high.
The Carson National Forest is charging $5 for trees 10 feet or shorter, $10 for trees between 10 and 15 feet, and $15 for trees between 15 and 20 feet. Cutting trees within 100 feet of watercourses, trails, Forest roads and state highways is prohibited, and the trunks should be 6 inches in diameter or less.
Permits will be limited to three per household and can be purchased at the various ranger district offices. The Jicarilla Ranger District also sells permits for Bureau of Land Management lands. For more information, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson/permits/xmas_tree.shtml. Call the following ranger districts with any questions:
Canjilon — (575) 684-2489
El Rito — (575) 581-4554
Jicarilla — (505) 623-2956
Tres Piedras — (575) 758-8678
The Santa Fe National Forest is charging $10 a tag for trees 10 feet and under, and $20 for trees taller than 10 feet. Cutting trees within 300 feet of watercourses or paved roads is prohibited, and trunks should be 5 inches in diameter or less. The Española Ranger District can be reached at 753-7331, the Cuba Ranger District at (575) 829-3535, and the Coyote Ranger District at (575) 638-5526.
For more information about the permits, visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/xmas08.
Recycling
After the holiday is over, North Central Solid Waste Authority Manager Joe Lewandowski said the Authority will accept Christmas trees at its transfer stations and will also schedule dates when trees will be collected curbside. He said the Authority plans to chip the trees and distribute the chips for free at the transfer station on Industrial Park Road in Española.
“They normally go as fast as we chip ‘em,” he said.
Lewandowski said the chips are good for landscaping.
He said more informtation will be available when the Authority releases its annual newsletter in December.