MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Personal use Christmas tree cutting permits valid for the Mendocino National Forest will be on sale through Friday, Dec. 22.

Permits will be available either in person or by mail from Mendocino National Forest offices listed below.

A limited number of permits are available for purchase at $10 each, on a first-come, first-served basis. All Christmas tree permit sales are final; no refunds will be made. Purchasers must be at least 18 years old. Only one permit may be sold to each household.

An individual may purchase up to five permits total if purchasing for other households. In this case, the purchaser must provide the name and address for each permit to be purchased.

To purchase a permit by mail provide your name, mailing address, daytime telephone number, and a check or money order for $10 made out to “USDA Forest Service”, and send to the Willows, Stonyford, Covelo or Upper Lake office. Write “Christmas Tree Permit” on the envelope. Mail in requests received after Dec. 14 cannot be filled.

Trees may be cut and removed on any day of the week through Dec. 24. Permits are not valid after that date.

Christmas tree cutting is allowed only in specific areas within the Mendocino National Forest. The permittee will receive a map of the Forest and a tree tag. Both map and tag must be in the permittee’s possession when cutting the Christmas tree.

Permits sold by any Mendocino National Forest office may be used to cut a tree in any authorized area within the Mendocino National Forest. Permit holders who will have another person cut their tree must provide a third party authorization form, which must be in the possession of the cutter.

Continued this year: Federal and State quarantines designed to prevent the spread of Sudden Oak Death are in effect for Lake and Mendocino Counties. Any Christmas tree cut in Lake or Mendocino County may only be transported into a Sudden Oak Death quarantine county (Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma).

Not all national forests offer the opportunity to obtain Christmas trees for personal use, and each national forest has different sales dates. Please check with the individual forest to learn the specifics of their program. Information is available on their Web sites.

Please call the location from which you wish to purchase your permit to verify pricing, hours and availability.

Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Offices

Grindstone Ranger District Office
825 North Humboldt Ave, Willows, CA 95988
530-934-3316
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Stonyford Work Center
5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road, Stonyford, CA 95979
530-963-3128
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Covelo Ranger Station
78150 Covelo Road, Covelo, CA 95428
707-983-6118
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Upper Lake Ranger Station
10025 Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake, CA 95485
707-275-2361
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Paskenta Work Station
13280 Paskenta Road, Paskenta, CA 96074
530-833-5544
Hours: Saturday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 9, ONLY, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Please note: Cash and checks only at this location

Christmas tree permits are typically available from the following vendors, please call for prices and availability:

Sacramento River Discovery Center
1000 Sale Lane, Red Bluff
530-527-1196
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hi-Way Grocery
160 E. Hwy 20, Upper Lake
707-275-2380
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

M & M Feed and Supply
74540 Hill Road, Covelo
707-983-6273
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Keith’s Family Foods
76201 Covelo Road, Covelo
707-983-6633
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

To ensure that your visit to the Mendocino National Forest is both safe and enjoyable, please follow these important tips:

Plan your trip. Check the weather and bring plenty of warm clothing, water, emergency food, tire chains, a shovel, a saw or axe to cut your tree, and a tarp and rope to bring it home.

Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave, and be prepared for changing conditions in the mountains. Let someone know where you will be, and when you intend to return.

Keep your vehicle on designated roads, and watch out for changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources.

If there are puddles in the road, or mud coming from your tires, or if you can see your tire ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over or turning around.

You can hike in the woods or drive to a different area to look for your tree. Cut your tree early in the season before snow makes travel to your favorite cutting area difficult.

Make sure you are cutting a tree on the Mendocino National Forest, and not on federal, state or private lands.

Cut trees close to the ground, leaving as little stump as possible.

Attach the permit on the tree where it will be easily visible when the tree is packed or tied to your vehicle for transport home.

To help keep your tree fresh, cut at least one inch off the base when you get home and stand the tree in a container of water in a cool, shady area. Check the water level daily.

Christmas tree cutting in the National Forest is managed as a recreational experience. It is a chance to go into the woods and cut a tree the old-fashioned way. For more information call 530-934-3316.