I posted in the last thread about my experience of "Christmas tree" patrol when I worked for the USFS. Before university and during university I worked as a Forest Tech for the USFS and then was a Forester post graduation. My last position was a District Silviculturist in charge of reforestation, stand improvement, and cutting prescriptions for timber sales. This occurred between 1969 and 1985 but I am retired now on a NF inholding and the local USFS still sells permits and provides maps to folks wanting to get trees. Time has past and this was in California not Colorad0 so specifics vary now.
Repeating myself, Christmas tree patrol was a fun thing and separate on a volunteer basis from one's regular job plus there was overtime as long days and on weekends. That time of year staffing is low so it was mostly the year round professional employees. I had similar experiences on two different ranger districts. The USFS sells Christmas tree permits. One needs to have a permit visibly attached to trees cut. They cost now I think $20.
"Civilians" were given maps that had areas excluded for cutting and areas suggested or even designed for cutting. Part of this is that there are different tree species. For example red fir and noble fir are what are known as "silver tips" on the Christmas tree lot. The silvertips grew in specific areas and at higher elevations. Locals but even more so folks from the urbanized area 80 miles away made the outings (often the areas were popular for camping, hiking, hunting, fishing other times of the year and had good all weather roads). Much of the commercial timber harvest was clear cuts so there were plantations of Christmas tree sized trees. Suitable plantations were shown on the maps and trees within the plantations marked as non-cut trees. All other trees were fair game for those with tree permits. Being higher elevation often the roads were plowed of snow and folks were directed toward areas where they were less likely to have problems like getting stuck. In general plantations were off limits for cutting unless designated. There were also Douglas-fir plantations designated for cutting but the DF and other species not desired like the silvertips. Some Douglas-fir plantations that had excess trees for a commercial crop were "pre-commercially thinned". Contracts were let for plantations thought to have good Christmas tree potential where the contractor had "salvage rights" and could remove cut trees suitable for sale. This reduced the cost of thinning or even brought in some revenue but wild DF are thinner in foliage than the manicured and grown for Christmas trees that are most commonly sold. Also areas were set up for Boy Scouts to cut and raise money for their needs.
To Christmas tree patrol was mostly to go to near the silvertip and other areas where people knew they could cut. We had maps and permits we could issue on the spot. So the job was fun and merry and we got to interact and be a presence with the public, often families having a quality experience. In the silvertip areas there would be check points going in (recall often in snow or at least winter weather) where we said hi to everyone and counted vehicles. Then was counted vehicles coming out and if vehicles did not come out we would cruise around and get folks out that were stuck, public safety. We were a lurking presence in any case to make sure damage wasn't done, people had permits, and public safety. Also there were people referred to as "Christmas tree poachers" cutting illegally without regard to damage for their own profit. It did no happen much if there were "rangers" roaming about. If we saw evidence, LE would act and we did not confront. I remember this well because it was fun. There were times we decorated our trucks and had coffee and hot chocolate for the public. We often got cookies.
So it did not seem logical to dispose of a body on Fed lands where there are "rangers" lurking and public cutting. Seems reasonable that one looking to dump would go away from Christmas tree areas. An outdoorsy local like say PF would know areas to get good Christmas trees but also areas where the roads were still decent but people scarce during the holidays. Cattle grazing areas are mostly in pine forests and not in the more alpine forests where prime Christmas trees reside.
