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New fee reductions and expanded cutting areas offer meaningful savings for families this winter

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management has announced a series of holiday affordability measures that will help families save money, enjoy public lands, and support wildfire prevention efforts across Oregon and Washington during the 2025–2026 winter season.

Effective immediately through January 31, the BLM is reducing many personal-use permit fees to just $1, including Christmas tree permits and firewood permits. Local BLM offices are also opening new cutting areas in overstocked woodlands to provide families with more opportunities to gather their own firewood and Christmas trees, while also supporting forest thinning and hazardous fuel reduction.

 “Here in Oregon and Washington, families rely on public lands for tradition, recreation, and essential resources,” said Barry Bushue, BLM OR/WA State Director. “These fee reductions and expanded access make it easier for people to gather firewood and Christmas trees close to home, all while helping us reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health.”

These actions align with the Trump administration’s mission to lower costs for American families and will contribute to national savings estimated at more than $9.4 million this holiday season.

Effective immediately, the BLM will:

• Reduce fees for personal-use Christmas tree and firewood permits.
• Increase household limits to up to 10 cords of firewood and up to three Christmas trees, with flexibility to adjust limits in areas with abundant resources.

These steps will help reduce household costs, expand access to local woodlands, and improve forest conditions by removing overstocked or hazardous fuels. The BLM will continue coordinating with community partners, tribal governments and local organizations to share information about permit availability and new cutting areas.

Residents can find up-to-date information on permit locations, cutting area maps, and safety guidance at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/forests-and-woodlands/forest-product-permits/oregon-christmas-trees

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The BLM manages roughly 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Clarkston, WA — Clarkston School District is pleased to announce that TriState Health has been selected to establish and operate a new School-Based Health Center (SBHC) on the Clarkston High School campus.

A Selection Committee made up of approximately 10 members, including educators, parents, a student, a school board representative, and community members, reviewed and evaluated proposals submitted by qualified health care organizations. The district received strong, highly capable proposals, and the committee’s work provided valuable insight to support the final decision.

The SBHC will provide preventative and primary health care services to Clarkston students, with a strong emphasis on mental and behavioral health. The center is designed to reduce barriers to care, increase access for underserved youth, and strengthen overall student well-being and success both in and out of the classroom.

“We are excited to partner with TriState Health to bring essential services directly to our high school campus,” said Superintendent Knowlton. “This project represents a major step forward in supporting the health and success of our students.”

Clarkston School District has secured state grant funding to plan, design, and construct the School-Based Health Center, including a legislative grant. These funds support the project’s development. TriState Health will operate the center upon its completion and will provide at minimum:

• 10 hours per week of physical health care
• 10 hours per week of mental and behavioral health care
• 15 hours per week of care coordination

TriState Health is well-positioned to take on this new responsibility and brings a strong commitment to serving youth in our community. The district looks forward to collaborating on this important effort to expand student access to high-quality school-based care.

Construction of the SBHC will involve renovating the T-Building on the Clarkston High School campus, with work scheduled to begin in the near future. Additional updates will be shared with the community as the project progresses.


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