Virginia Beach, Va. – STIHL is proud to sponsor the 56^th anniversary of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program. Each year a different national forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building for the holiday season. This year, under the theme, Experience Your Nature, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, in partnership with nonprofit partner Choose Outdoors and Colorado Tourism, will bring this special gift from Colorado to Washington, D.C. for the 2020 holiday season.

 “STIHL is proud to support this wonderful tradition that highlights the beauty of our national forests,” said Nick Jiannas, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This magnificent tree will provide an opportunity for all Americans to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season as the tree makes its journey to our nation’s capital.”

With the support and expertise of STIHL and U.S. Forest Service sawyers, the 55-foot-tall Engelmann Spruce was harvested in the Uncompahgre National Forest on Nov. 6 and prepared for the nearly 2,000-mile expedition. The journey of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as the “People’s Tree,” includes a series of 10 outdoor community celebrations primarily within the state of Colorado and will be delivered to the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 20. The tree will then be decorated by handmade ornaments specially created by Coloradans and be lit on the West Lawn in early December.

“The annual journey is only possible with the help of strong community partnerships throughout Colorado and beyond state lines,” said Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors. “We’re grateful for the time and resources STIHL is providing to help make this the best year yet.”

This year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be included in a special episode of Chuck Leavell’s PBS series “America’s Forests” that captures the breadth of our nation’s woodlands. The series features different stories that demonstrate how important forest habitats are to the well-being and economic health of communities across the country. Starting Dec. 18, viewers can watch the special episode online at www.americasforestswithchuckleavell.com.