U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree selected from Monongahela National Forest

ELKINS, W.Va (WDTV) - Officials have announced the tree that will come from the Monongahela National Forest to be the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Jim Kaufmann, Director of the Capitol Grounds for the Architect of the Capitol, selected a 63-foot Norway spruce from the Greenbrier Ranger District to serve as the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree this holiday season.

The tree was one of eight candidate trees Kaufmann recently visited.

“Selecting a tree to adorn the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol comes with very specific requirements,” said Jim Kaufmann, Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum at the Architect of the Capitol. “Thanks to the pre-planning of Monongahela National Forest staff, we were able to select a very traditional and graceful Norway spruce to represent Monongahela National Forest and wild and wonderful West Virginia at the U.S. Capitol during the holidays this winter.”

The People’s Tree will be harvested from the Greenbrier Ranger District, which was home to the very first Christmas tree provided from the Forest Service to the U.S. Capitol in 1970, also a Norway spruce. A red spruce was provided from the Gauley Ranger District in 1976.

“It’s a great honor for our district to once again provide the People’s Tree,” said Jack Tribble, district ranger for the Greenbrier Ranger District. “Our staff is excited to be a part of the project, including the harvest and packaging of the tree, to ensure it has a safe trip to Washington, D.C., this fall.”

The tree will be harvested in early November before making its journey through communities in West Virginia before heading to Washington, D.C., arriving at the U.S. Capitol in late November.

The tree will then be decorated with thousands of handcrafted ornaments from West Virginians.

The tree will be lit sometime after Thanksgiving during a ceremony with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, part of a long-held tradition.

Officials have announced in January that the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree would come from the Monongahela National Forest.

With the announcement that the tree has been selected, officials say tree skirts and ornaments are needed for the tree heading to the U.S. Capitol.

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Monongahela National Forest to provide 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree