Last year, I had a fiasco. My friends and I drove out to the Turnagain Pass area to cut down a Christmas tree. It looked perfect, and I was excited to set it up in our living room and decorate it. But the tree lost nearly all of its needles.
By Christmas Day, the thin tree trunk and its sad, sagging branches stood completely naked. A thick layer of green needles pooled around it on the floor.
So this year, I asked for help. Here is what I learned from Stephen Nickel, a forester with the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, about cutting a perfect Christmas tree – and making it last.
Where can I legally chop down a tree?
Nickel and I met at the Matanuska Valley Moose Range, near Palmer. It’s one of several designated places to find a Christmas tree on state land in Southcentral Alaska.
On the Kenai Peninsula, there are four cutting areas. You can consult the maps on the Division of Forestry website for more details.
You can also cut a tree anywhere on unrestricted state land. Cutting is not allowed in state parks or Department of Transportation rights-of-way. Call your local Division of Forestry & Fire Protection office if you have any questions.
There are some more options on public land in Southcentral, too, like Chugach National Forest and Jim Creek Recreation Area.
What rules do I need to know?
For state land, Nickel said the legal window for cutting is from Thanksgiving through Christmas Day.
The basic rules are: One tree per household, less than 15 feet tall. Trees need to be cut as low to the ground as possible.
“Be respectful of private property,” Nickel added. “And then, just, you know, clean up after yourself.”
How to pick a perfect Christmas tree?
At the Moose Range, there were a ton of Christmas tree candidates – mainly white and black spruce. Equipped with a handsaw, a shovel and some ropes to carry out the tree, Nickel and I trudged through melty snow and fallen branches.
Nickel said it’s best to look away from the trail, to keep the forest coverage even.
Picking the right Christmas tree is all about foliage. Nickel said it’s important to think about where you will place it in your home. If it’s the centerpiece of the room, look for even foliage, which you’ll often find on trees that don’t have close neighbors.
If you want to put your tree close to a wall, maybe pick one that has fewer branches on one side.
“Envision the space that you're trying to fill with the tree,” Nickel said.
We saw one charming spruce tree, but it was a little too short. Another one looked tall and full, and we decided it might be a great candidate. But Nickel noticed yellow speckles on the needles that could mean the tree wasn’t healthy.
“I might want to direct you toward something that has more green on it, so you don’t lose a bunch of needles,” he said.
What do I need to know about cutting the tree?
We kept walking until we saw the tree that looked just right. It was short enough to fit into my Subaru, but tall enough to look nice in my home. The needles looked healthy and green, and even seemed a bit greener than its neighbours.
I got on my knees and crawled to get closer to the trunk.
Sometimes trees grow in groups, so when you cut the one you like, you need to be careful to not damage saplings and trees nearby.
Most spruce trees in the Moose Range area are only an inch or two in diameter, so all you need is a handsaw. Make sure you cut on the side opposite where you want the tree to fall.
How do I care for my tree?
Nickel said to be careful when you put the tree in or on your car. The branches might be brittle, especially when it’s cold outside.
Then, when you bring the tree home, Nickel said to leave it in a semi-warm space, like a garage or an arctic entry. That will allow the tree’s branches to relax before you bring it inside.
After the tree has thawed for about a day, slice off a short section at the bottom of the trunk and put the tree in warm water. Make sure you replenish the water, especially in the first week.
My tree is still in the garage, warming up. Soon I’ll bring it into my living room, to decorate it and enjoy its lush green branches — this time, I hope, at least through Christmas.
