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Retailers also offer fresh Colorado xmas trees

Contributed by: Jeff Thomas on 12/12/2005

Coloradans who weren't able to get a permit to cut their own tree this weekend can still help their forests and get a forest-fresh tree for their holidays.
Retailers across the Front Range also provide native Colorado Christmas trees that also come from forestry efforts, some of which are too exacting to open to public permitting said Joe Duda, co-manager of Colorado Wood, a forest products utilization organization funded by the U.S. and state forest services.
“Cutting your own Christmas tree is a tradition and a method for residents to take part in forestry efforts,” Duda said. “But buying a tree from one of the many retailers who often participate in very focused forestry efforts is, in some ways, even more significant to helping us manage the long-time health of our public and private forests.”
Colorado Wood is very involved in utilization of small-diameter products on many levels, and through its consumer awareness program, Colorado Forest Products, publishes lists of retailers who offer native trees at www.coloradoforestproducts.org/xmas/.
Christmas trees are are simply one of the most easily identified markets for small-diameter wood products, and one in which all Coloradans can participate. Christmas trees, and bough materials for wreaths, are simply about as small of a small-diameter product as can be imagined, but also exactly the kind of forest material needed  to reduce wildfire danger or create conditions where prescribed fire can be used to restore wildlife habitat.
The retailers who participate in the program are often directly involved in the forestry efforts and vary from some holiday centers offering a variety of family  fun, such as the Aspen Lodge in Estes Park and Luckylure's in Evergreen, to Boy Scout troops and other organizations with corner stands.
“It gives us the opportunity to not only market the small-diameter trees we need to be removing as part the forestry plan on our 85 acres, but it also allows us to highlight our destination hotel and conference center,” said Paula Foster, general manager of the Aspen Lodge. Not only does the Aspen Lodge sell Christmas trees, they do it up with a sleigh pulled by a well-trained team of Belgian horses and a bit of a back-woods experience without any unnecessary discomfort.
In Estes Park, the same Boy Scouts who sell the trees at Estes Park Lumber are the same scouts who participate every year working in the Canyon Lakes U.S. Forest Service district, headquartered out of Fort Collins. BSA Troop 8 has been cutting in forest restoration areas managed by the district for 29 years.
Nederland Boy Scouts also offer locally cut Christmas trees, and a new entry in Boulder County this year is Mark Williams, who will use part of the proceeds for the sale to fund the James Creek Watershed Initiative. The initiative works at improving James Creek water quality all the way to the headwaters of James Creek in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, and the Christmas trees are being taken from a conservation easement area for wildfire fuel reduction.
Tony Smith of Boulder County also has reindeer and other attractions at his farm just north of Valmont Road on 75th Street.
But no matter how different contractors market their products, they are all participating in important forestry efforts designed to recreate balance and health in all our forest lands, whether private or public. They also make it possible for all Coloradans to participate in these efforts.
 
Retailer list:
 
Boulder County:
 
Colorado Native Christmas Trees
3375 75th Street, Boulder. Farm located several hundred yards north of Valmont Road on 75th. Lot has a variety of trees, reindeer and other holiday activities.
 
Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Weekends: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
 
 
Nederland Boy Scouts
 
The scouts will be manning a lot at the Miner's Museum, located on the roundabout in the center of town.
 
Beginning Nov. 25. Mostly afternoons and evenings. Trees may be available on an honor system.
 
Big M Trees
Has two lot locations in Boulder County, two in the City of Boulder and one in Lafayette. Trees include local Douglas fir and lodgepole as well as White Fir or Balsam from southern Colorado forests.
 
Lafayette: Southwest corner of 95th St. (Hwy. 42) and Arapaho Road.
 
Boulder: 1) Corner of 30th and Pearl, behind Pollard Motors.
 
 
 
 
 
From 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekday and weekends. Call 303-449-2240 for more information.
 
 
Boy Scouts of America Troop 8 (Estes Park Lumber)
 
Trees are sold at Estes Park Lumber, 7400 S. St. Vrain Ave, Estes Park, during business hours. Tree sales begin on Nov. 25 and continue to Dec. 16.
 
The Boy Scouts who cut these trees man the tree lot from 3 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
 
Aspen Lodge
Get a free hayride if you buy a tree. (Hayrides are $5 for children and $10 for adults and include free hot chocolate.)
 
6120 Hwy. 7 Estes Park, CO
Lodge is located 7 1/2 miles south of Estes Park on Hwy 7. (Between Allenspark and Estes Park.)
 
Open the following dates Nov. 25, 26 and 27, and weekends in December through Dec. 18 Daytime hours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday nights 5 to 7 p.m. Reservations are needed for Saturday night, please call: 970-586-8133. Or by special arrangement on weekday evenings for a very romantic occasion.
 
 


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Jeff Thomas has posted 1629 stories and 83 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. Jeff Thomas's average story rating is 4.73.
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