This year marks the 10th year of San Juan Mountains Association’s (SJMA) “Christmas Trees for Conservation” tree lot. Located at the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad parking lot in Durango, the tree lot serves as SJMA’s major fundraiser for conservation education and stewardship activities.
The tree lot opens at noon the day after Thanksgiving, November 24, and will be open daily until the trees sell out. Operating hours will be Sunday through Friday, noon to 6pm and Saturdays, 9am to 6pm.
SJMA partners with the San Juan National Forest to identify areas in need of thinning White Firs, which function as “ladder fuels” during a wildfire by carrying fire into the canopies of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir. By harvesting White Fir, SJMA helps mitigate the intensity of potential wildfires and increases available resources for other forest species. This project also aligns with San Juan National Forest initiatives, including the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP).
With the help of many dedicated volunteers, SJMA will harvest White Firs this coming Saturday, November 18, at 8:00am in Beaver Meadows, east of Bayfield. SJMA invites the community to assist with this effort. Jobs include tree hauling, transporting trees from Beaver Meadows to the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad parking lot, and helping set up the tree lot.
For more information, visit SJMA’s website. Want to learn more about volunteer opportunities? Contact Marly Saunders at msaunders@sjma.org or 703-881-2520 or simply sign up to join the fun.
In addition to the SJNF and our dedicated volunteers, we are grateful to our business partners for helping with this important event.
Kristen Allen is Public Affairs Officer, Forest Service, San Juan National Forest.