2012 US Capitol Christmas Tree to Come from CO White River National Fo

Under Secretary of Agriculture, CO Governor and Choose Outdoors Announce Year Long Celebration

Amid the chorus of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” led by musicians Pete Martinez and Jennifer Lane, Gov. John Hickenlooper made the announcement that next year Colorado will provide a great gift to the rest of the country. This gift is the “people’s tree” or the US Capitol Christmas Tree. The tree will stand tall in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. for the 2012 holiday season.

Gov. Hickenlooper remarked that, “This tree distinguishes Colorado in a bright way. It will be a symbol of Colorado’s best attributes and a symbol of strength and commitment.”

Under Secretary of Agriculture Harris Sherman announced the tree will come from the White River National Forest near Meeker, CO and also announced the theme for the 2012 US Capitol Christmas Tree as “Celebrating Our Great Outdoors.” He noted, “It’s a very fitting theme for the 2012 US Capitol Christmas Tree – about connecting people to the great outdoors.”

Congressman Scott Tipton along with Senators Mark Udall & Michael Bennet sent along a recorded message to the crowd, thanking the volunteers who made this event a success and congratulating the State of Colorado on this honor.

Contests will be held throughout the year to create posters, songs and ornaments involving the tree. All the ornaments will accompany the tree to our nation’s capitol, and a handful of contest winners will go along for the trip. One lucky Colorado youth will be given the chance to flip the switch that turns on the tree’s lights at a ceremony with the Speaker of the House next December.

More information and updates on the year-round celebration can be found at: www.facebook.com/CapitolChristimasTree2012

About Choose Outdoors
Choose Outdoors, is a non-profit dedicated to promoting outdoor recreation and active lifestyles through support for public lands and waters; recreation infrastructure; and programs connecting Americans to the outdoors. Recently, responding to a request by Undersecretary of Agriculture Harris Sherman, Choose Outdoors has begun to develop ways to increase public awareness about the mountain pine beetle epidemic and the impact it has had on forest health as well as to encourage private sector engagement in promoting the use of beetle killed wood and assisting with mitigation efforts. For more information about Choose Outdoors visit www.ChooseOutdoors.org.