U.S. Forest Service managers of the woods west of Colorado’s Front Range cities say they’ll allow Christmas tree cutting! People who cut trees will be helping to manage their own national forests, according to Brian Ferebee, the regional forester, in an announcement issued Sunday.For $10 per tree -– a maximum of five trees per person -– people can cut a Christmas tree in selected areas in the Pike, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. People who are looking to find a tree this way must obtain permits before entering those designated cutting areas.Forest Service officials say thinning forests by removing smaller trees reduces competition among trees. They say this promotes healthier growing conditions in the remaining forest and reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires.For more information on the Christmas tree cutting that starts Dec. 3, agency officials said residents can call 303-239-3838 or check fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/recreation.
