CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Every year, a different national forest is selected to provide a tree for the U.S. Capitol building, and this year's tree came from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
This is the third time a tree from Pisgah National Forest will provide a Christmas Tree for the U.S. capitol, having previously provided trees in 1998 and 1974.
78-foot tall, Ruby the red spruce, hit the road at the beggining of November to start it's 14 day long tour across 17 cities from western North Carolina, to Washington D.C. where it arrived Friday.
"The US Capitol Christmas Tree or ‘the People's Tree’ is a wonderful opportunity to exhibit North Carolina’s talented individuals and their passion for our public lands," said Lorie Stroup, U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree coordinator.
USDA officials also say this years Christmas tree "truly embodies “The People’s Tree" by having over 7,000 ornimatents decorated, and donated by schools, communities, and civic organizations across North Carolina.
"I am amazed that we reached our goal early, but I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised that North Carolinians, and our friends and neighbors, rallied for the cause," Sheryl Bryan, U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree ornaments coordinator said.
According to USDA offcials, Ruby represents an iconic tree species for the southern Appalacians, and this tree's seedlings will be apart of U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program.
As part of this program, the U.S. Forest Service is partnering with the National Forest Foundation to raise funds for a new nursery that will grow red spruce seedlings to be used in reforestation efforts. .
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