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An 80-foot Engelmann spruce was erected on the West lawn of the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Selected as the 2005 holiday tree for Capitol Hill, the spruce grew to its impressive height in the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico and made a cross-country journey to Washington, D.C. to fulfill it’s official title. Husqvarna played an important role in this national tradition, as it has done for several years.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Husqvarna donated the chain saw and safety equipment used to fell the tree. To assist in the cutting ceremony, Husqvarna provided a 395XP professional grade chain saw with a 32-inch bar, as well as critical safety gear including helmets, gloves, and chaps for the professionals felling the tree.
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This is New Mexico’s second opportunity to supply the national’s Capitol Holiday Tree, the first being in 1991 with a blue spruce from the Carson National Forest. The custom of placing a holiday tree on the front lawn of the Capitol dates back to 1964 and for the past 35 years the tree has been selected from a national forest.
U.S. Forest Service representative Steve Rameiro had the honor of cutting the tree, which was then loaded onto a customized flatbed truck for it’s 2,000-mile journey east. The tree is in the midst of being decorated with thousands of handmade ornaments from New Mexico residents and schoolchildren, as well as 10,000 lights. The tree lighting is scheduled for Dec. 8.
“At Husqvarna, we are proud to continue our affiliation with the Capitol Holiday Tree program,” said David Zerfoss, president of Husqvarna. “The tree is a national symbol that everyone can enjoy as it welcomes in a joyous time of year.”