Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest seeks comments to increase cost of Christmas Tree cutting permits on the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts
The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is seeking public comments on a proposal to increase cost of Christmas tree cutting permits on the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts. This increase would help fund the planning and operations that are needed to administer the Christmas tree program including staffing, public engagement, coordination with local vendors, and enforcement.
“We recognize how important this unique family tradition of cutting a Christmas tree on National Forest System land,” said Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger. “I really encourage the public to get involved in this process as public input is a critical part of the fee establishment process and a great opportunity to help shape the future of public lands.”
The districts are proposing to increase Christmas tree cutting permits from $10 to $20 per tree. The proposed fee price is based on a market analysis of similar opportunities within the Sierra Front region. The current fee has never been increased since the inception of the program.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed fee increase by close of business on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Comments should be sent to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Attn: Recreation Fees, 1200 Franklin Way, Sparks, Nevada 89431 or via e-mail to [email protected]. Please put “Humboldt-Toiyabe 2023 Recreation Fee Proposal” in the subject line.
Comments can also be submitted by using the interactive web map at: https://bit.ly/HTNFRecreationFeeProposal_CommentSite
For more information on this proposal, contact Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Recreation and Wilderness Program Manager Randy Kyes at [email protected].
Once the 60-day public comment period ends, all comments will be reviewed by the Forest Service. Those comments found to be substantive will be evaluated further and considered in this proposal.
The final proposed fee change will then be presented to a citizen’s resource advisory committees that represent a broad array of interests. Their recommendation will be submitted to the USDA Forest Service Intermountain Regional Forester for a final decision.
If approved, the new and/or increased permit fees would go into effect in 2024 or 2025.
For additional information on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, please visit https://fs.usda.gov/htnf or participate in the conversation at https://twitter.com/HumboldtToiyabe and https://facebook.com/HumboldtToiyabeNF/.
