The United States Forest Service has launched a program that allows Americans to purchase a natural Christmas tree for just $5, as long as it is cut in a protected forest.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that cutting down fir trees would benefit some forests, ABC News reports.
As the forest regenerates, the new trees compete for resources like sunlight and water, making them smaller, according to an American Christmas Tree Association spokeswoman, Jill Sidebottom.
The latter adds that cutting down a few trees would allow the remaining trees to improve their resilience and their effectiveness in warding off diseases and insects.
Since this program began in 2020, approximately 306,000 Americans annually have received permission to cut their tree in one of the protected forests identified by the department.