Bureau of Land Management opens cutting areas and drops personal-use permits to $1 to deliver holiday savings and reduce hazardous fuels.
Across BLM public lands this winter, the Interior Department has turned a holiday chore into a practical win. The Bureau of Land Management’s “One Dollar, One Tree“ action makes gathering a Christmas tree or personal-use firewood inexpensive while directing work into overstocked stands that need thinning.
Effective immediately for the 2025–2026 winter season, the BLM has cut personal-use permits for Christmas trees and firewood to $1 per tree or per cord through January 31, 2026. The agency is opening new cutting areas in overstocked woodlands, with priority given to locations near communities, military bases, tribal areas, and rural counties. Household limits are raised in many places — up to 10 cords of firewood and up to three Christmas trees — and caps can be relaxed where resources allow. The department projects the combined programs will deliver nearly $10 million in holiday savings to families while helping reduce hazardous fuels on public lands.
If you plan to take advantage, do the work like you would any backcountry chore: call the local BLM field office first, get the required permit, and study the cutting maps. Bring sturdy boots, gloves, eye and ear protection, a well-serviced saw, fuel, basic first aid, and proper tie-downs for hauling. Confirm household limits and any seasonal closures for the district you’re visiting. Respect private and tribal boundaries — cutting the wrong tree turns a cheap trip into a legal headache. If you usually visit National Forest land, note that Forest Service rules differ; this change applies to BLM-administered lands.
This isn’t just about saving cash. Opening access and encouraging personal-use harvests in overstocked stands concentrates removal where it reduces wildfire risk and protects nearby communities. Done well, targeted thinning removes hazardous fuels and supports landscape resilience. Done poorly, random cutting can damage wildlife habitat, disturb cultural resources, and interfere with restoration projects. Follow BLM guidance, work with managers where possible, and avoid sensitive areas.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum summed up the pitch plainly: “Under President Trump, we are making Christmas affordable again.“ The department links the affordability angle with its forest-health goals — cheaper permits, more local cutting areas, and higher household limits meant to help families and reduce hazardous fuels simultaneously.
If you want cheaper wood and a do-it-yourself tree, this is a practical, no-frills program — but it still requires planning. Treat it like a short field operation: plan, obtain permits, pack safety gear, cut smart, and haul safely.
Essential Checklist
- Paperwork: Bring your permit and maps when you go.
- Personal protective equipment: boots, gloves, eye and ear protection, hard hat if felling.
- Tool kit: chainsaw in good tune, spare bar/chain, fuel, file, wedge, axe, hand saw.
- Haul kit: straps, tarps, ratchet straps, gloves for loading.
- Vehicle readiness: good tires, tie-down points, recovery gear if the road’s sketchy.
- First aid: kit and basic spill kit for fuel.
- Communication: charged phone, backup comms (a handheld radio with GMRS or HAM capability and the necessary licenses), and a contact who knows your plan.
- Trash: containers and leave-no-trace bags.
- Scheduling: Time buffer for weather, mechanical issues, and cleanup.
- Respect boundaries: know which areas are private, tribal, and sensitive. Stay on paths and trails.
Safety and Stewardship:
- If you’re felling, never work alone on complex cuts.
- Avoid cutting during nesting seasons or in known cultural-heritage areas.
- Thin thoughtfully — remove ladder fuels and small-diameter overcrowding first; don’t mutilate the stand.
- Load and secure wood to prevent road debris and hazards.
Residents can find more information about the program and take advantage of it by contacting their local Bureau of Land Management office, visiting the agency’s forest products webpage, or purchasing permits online at forestproducts.blm.gov.