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A 'Noble' Decision in Oregon: Selecting the Capitol Christmas Tree

The Architect of the Capitol selects the annual U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in consultation with the United States Forest Service. Follow along as our Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum travels to the Willamette National Forest in Oregon to select the 2018 tree.
By Jim Kaufmann | November 1, 2018
        
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    AOC Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum searches the Willamette National Forest in Oregon for the perfect U.S. Christmas Tree.

I recently had the honor of being selected to be the Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum. With that responsibility comes the privilege of selecting a Christmas tree to be the centerpiece of the U.S. Capitol's West Front Lawn in December.

I looked forward to this part of my new job. How hard could it be? Over the summer I headed to the Willamette National Forest in Oregon to find out. Surely it couldn't be that difficult to find a tree in the state known to be a top grower of Christmas trees. The cold winters and long summers make for perfect growing conditions.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) welcomed me to the Sweet Home Ranger District in the Willamette National Forest. We discussed the geography, weather, topography and other conditions relative to finding the perfect tree.

The forest service had put the call out to the people of Oregon to help. Together, USFS and Oregonians helped narrow the numbers to make the search a bit easier, and there were about a half dozen candidates for my review.

I was looking for a tree that could be viewed from 360 degrees, without a bad side. It had to be a full tree that will have firm branching that will hold the thousands of handcrafted ornaments that will adorn the tree. The branches couldn't be too stiff as they need to be flexible to fit on a tractor trailer. The size had to be perfect to match the scale of the U.S. Capitol. I needed a tree that could be installed at a height of about 65 feet tall and between 25-30 feet wide.

Oregonians take pride in their Christmas trees and the pressure was starting to hit me. I did not want to disappoint any of my hosts and I wanted to make sure my selection was appropriate for the Capitol.

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    AOC Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum searches the Willamette National Forest in Oregon for the perfect U.S. Christmas Tree.We searched a variety of areas. We drove hours to the highest peaks and also to the valleys. We searched logging roads and historical roads situated with the Oregon Trail. We got a flat tire – that I took pride in changing in record time and that I know would have made the father in "A Christmas Story" very proud. We inspected trees near lakes, roads and even an air strip.

Trees growing in a natural habitat do not grow like a farm grown Christmas tree. Nature grows these trees not to be a perfect visual specimen, but to survive. This is the beauty of nature. But, one caught my eye.

We found an 80 foot Noble fir (*Abies procera*) located about seven miles back on a logging road. It was at the bottom of a valley with some surrounding moist conditions. The low-lying wet area helped protect it from forest fire and drought. Being a lone tree allowed it to grow with full sunlight and develop great symmetry. The location made it logistically suitable for the equipment needed for harvest and to host a harvesting celebration. The area was perfect and the tree was looking like it was the one!

The "noble" name described this tree well. The branches will be stiff enough to support the ornaments that are being made by the people of Oregon, yet flexible enough to survive transportation. The tree was perfectly beyond the 65 feet of finished height which gives us just enough working room to harvest, transport and finally secure in the ground on the U.S. Capitol's West Front Lawn.

This was it — I had to make my decision. This was the tree that will travel across the country and will be viewed by thousands of people on its journey to our nation's capital!
Comments
    
  
    
Betty Thayer (... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 2, 2018 - 8:07amWell done, Jim.  Very interesting.  Where will you go next year?
ReplyJanice Kaufman... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 2, 2018 - 10:01amJim, as our son we could not be more proud of this achievement. Just think the world  will see your selection.
ReplyLynn Blanchet ... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 2, 2018 - 11:43amWhat a wonderful job to have.  Sounds like you had a hard decision but had an adventure too.  Looking forward to seeing our tree.
ReplyKaren Boyd (no... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 5, 2018 - 2:34pmJim - what a wonderful experience and fun thing to have to do in a job. You surely did a great job. Can you pick out my tree?
ReplyRosalie Dennis... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 7, 2018 - 5:27pmMy son, Greg Moore, will be escorting the tree. I‚Äôm so proud and excited. We will celebrate with him at the tree lighting.
ReplyCristy WIse (n... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 8, 2018 - 10:45amSo excited for my cousin to escort the tree!  Proud of you Greg!  What a great opportunity!
ReplyJennifer Lawle... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 12, 2018 - 6:22pmIt is very fascinating that could be such pressure to find the perfect tree for all to see. But with that said, I am sure you had a wonderful experience and now will have the bragging rights to be able to say that you picked the Capitol Christmas Tree!
ReplyTiffany J Stah... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 28, 2018 - 7:45pmHow wonderful it was to stumble upon this today! Jim, my friend, it is a joy to see how well you are doing and how successful you have become.  Congratulations for all of your achievements.  My very best to you and your family!
ReplyGale Flores (n... (not verified)PermalinkNovember 30, 2018 - 11:45amWhat a wonderful job to do...finding a tree for the whole nation to enjoy! Christmas truly unites us all! Great job..I pray the tradition of Capitol tree continues!!
ReplyNorth Shore (n... (not verified)PermalinkJanuary 15, 2020 - 1:48amHey Jim, well done and very interesting.
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