Officials urge people to get permits before heading into the forest as tree-cutting season begins
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
The seasonal rush for Christmas tree is on but before heading for the woods, people are urged to contact Rogue Valley Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices to obtain the necessary permits.
Choosing and cutting your own Christmas tree is a holiday tradition for many families but permits to select that special tree. A $5 permit allows the cutting of one personal-use Christmas tree and additional permits are required for each additional tree. (Update: Permits will cost $1 and allow cutting of up to three trees, effective through Jan. 31, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management announced Friday, Dec. 5. Click here for additional information.)
Multiple options are available for purchasing permits, including in person, online, and local vendors. And, if there’s a fourth grade student and if they have a valid 2025-2026 Every Kid Outdoors pass, they can get a Christmas tree permit for free! For in-person permits, the fourth grader must be present in an office to receive their permit. Students may also get their permit on recreation.gov, where a $2.50 processing fee will apply to the transaction.
Other options include:
Online: BLM issued tree permits are available for purchase online. Forest Service issued tree permits are available for purchase online through recreation.gov, and a $2.50 processing fee will apply to the transaction. This year the BLM dropped the price from $5 to $1.
In person at the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management offices: It’s recommended people call the specific office where they plan to purchase a permit to confirm hours. All offices currently have permits on hand to coincide with the rec.gov online permit availability. Along with the Medford headquarters office, Rogue River-Siskiyou offices are located in Jacksonville, Cave Junctions, Prospect, Powers, Gold Beach
Local vendors: Many local businesses across southwest Oregon are selling Christmas tree permits. The current vendor list is available on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest website. It’s recommended people call the vendor to ensure permits are available.
Permits are non-refundable. There is a limit of five tree permits per household, and the permits may be used only on those lands open to Christmas tree harvesting that are administered by the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management’s Medford District.
Free printable maps that identify these areas are provided at the time of permit purchase on recreation.gov, as well as for home printing on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest’s website. People wanting to use digital maps and navigation systems can download the free maps to use on the mapping app, Avenza. Maps will also be available on a limited basis in front of offices.
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at 337lee337@charter.net.
Sunday, Dec. 7: Updated story to say the BLM dropped the permit charge to $1 from $5.
