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Show Christmas Trees Available This Year on BLM Lands "O Tannenbaum. . ." As the Christmas season approaches, Paul L. Howard, Bureau of Land Management state director for Utah, announced an-nounced that families once again may obtain BLM permits to cut pinyon or juniper Christmas trees. But he added that for residents of the populated Wasatch Front area, expenses for a family to travel to cut its own tree likely will be far greater than buying one from a commercial tree lot. Nearest BLM-administered areas to Salt Lake City for families to cut their own Christmas trees are approximately 200 miles away. Three are no areas closer with enough sutiable trees and good enough access to meet the demand, Mr. Howard explained. Even the designated areas in southern and eastern Utah may present problems to tree cutters. After a storm, most BLM-administered areas may be inaccessible. In relatively good weather, four-wheel drive vehicles and chains may be needed on the back roads. In addition, cutters often may have to hike considerable distances from any road to find a tree, so adequate clothing and equipment .is necessary, the BLM state director cautioned. cau-tioned. Permits for the trees will be issued - one to a family - for $1 per tree and will be available from only some of the BLM offices in Utah. They will be issued during regular office hours from the office having jurisdiction o-'er the area where the family desires to cut its tree. Maps locating the tree areas and instructions for cutting will be issued with the permits. Mr. Howard added that firewood permits are also available for $2 per cord at BLM offices offering tree permits, thus making a duel purpose outing possible for families. All BLM permits will be for only pinyon pine or juniper trees; fir or spruce trees are not available in the BLM-administered BLM-administered areas in Utah, Mr. Howard said. He asked tree cutters to cooperate in the program by: 9, Cutting only the tree they will I take home, cut the tree below its lowest branches so the remaining stump is not too tall, keep vehicles on established estab-lished roads to prevent ruts that can lead to erosion, carry litter to regular garbage receptacles, leave any gates open or closed, as you find them, respect others' property and fences, and avoid disturbing disturb-ing livestock or wildlife. BLM office addresses and the tree-cutting areas for which permits will be issued include the following: Moab, 446 South Main: An area 12 miles east of Moab on the Sand Flat Road; Wray Mesa, 10 miles east of LaSal. Monticello, 284 South 1st West: Johnson Creek, seven miles north of Blanding; Spring Creek, six miles northwest north-west of Monticello, and Wray Mesa, east of LaSal. Price, 900 North 7th East; Dugout Canyon, 25 miles northeast of Price. |
