For the better part of three decades, high school students at Warren Tech have been making Christmas a native affair.

"It all starts with Jim Green, who gets us all the local evergreens," said horticulture school technician Kyler Neumann. "We'll sell anywhere from 200 to 250 Christmas trees and as many as 500 wreaths (made from the boughs of those native Christmas trees.) Then the kids also make floral arrangements (from native plants and boughs), and we'll make about 200 to 300 of those."

Retired horticulture instructor Jim Foster started the tradition, which current instructor Susan Simons has faithfully kept. The proceeds from the sent 10 students to the national Future Farmers of America conference in October. Along the way, the use of native Christmas trees from Colorado also help forestry efforts, bolster rural economies and even reduce the state's carbon emissions by reducing the number of trees imported from out of state.

"It's been more than 24 years that the sale has been going on. It's maybe closer to 30 (years)," Neumann said. The sale is conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Native comes easily to the horticulture school, which also prefers native plants for its landscaping class, which has done a number of projects on the school grounds at 13300 West Second Place in Lakewood. by Monday through Friday. Start Nov.27 through Dec 21.

Native Christmas trees, which are sometimes less full than plantation-grown trees, are often preferred by some decorators because ornaments can be placed inside of the boughs. The native trees are cut at much later dates than imported trees, meaning they drop fewer needles and stay fresher during the holidays.

And the trees couldn't be any more fresh than the ones at Warren Tech.

"I bring a couple of loads down every week," said Green, who hails from Buffalo Creek. "Sometimes the tree that someone buys in the afternoon is one I've cut in the morning."

For more information and to find other lots, please visit www.coloradoforestproducts.org. Other south and west metro areas selling native trees include:

Evergreen: Luckylure Christmas Trees and Holiday Activity Center, 5231 Colorado 73 At Brook Forest Road.

Open from Nov. 23, but last year sold out by Dec. 19. Monday through Thursday, 12 to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Info: Staff is very knowledgeable about Colorado native trees and their care. Lots of fun family activities, including pine cone hunts, free stuff stocking for the kids, pictures on an authentic 1800s covered wagon and more. Email cochristmastrees@aol.com for further information or visit the Web site, www.coloradochristmastrees.com.

Lakewood: Paul Wewel's Christmas Tree Lot, 11890 W. Cedar Drive, near W. Alameda Parkway and S. Union Boulevard

Beginning Nov. 23, 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Saturday.

Info: Native trees including spruce and sub-alpine fir. For further information, call 303-985-8313.

Parker: Danny's Christmas Tree Lot, intersection of Longs Way and S. Dransfeldt Road in Parker.

Beginning Nov. 23, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, sometimes later in the evening.

Info: Lot has diversity of trees: including white fir and pinion pine, and trees as tall as 15 feet. For further information, call 720-373-1710, or 303-910-6880.