A new interpretive sign was recently installed at NWREC for the Christmas tree program. It was designed to inform visitors about the five different Christmas tree seed orchards that have been established at NWREC over the last eight years. The sign is strategically placed so visitors can see the Douglas-fir, Noble fir, Turkish fir and Trojan fir orchards while reading about how the orchards were developed and why. 

A segment from the sign reads: “You may not recognize these as Christmas trees, but these orchards contain trees with the world’s most coveted traits— vibrant color, symmetrical form, rapid growth, disease resistance and superior needle retention. 

Seeds harvested from the cones produced in these orchards are cultivated into seedling plants and sold to growers­—destined to produce new generations of the top-quality Christmas trees that have made the Pacific Northwest famous. 

Over the coming decades, these trees will produce multiple cone crops, providing quality seed for the Christmas tree industry. Additionally, these trees will serve as parent trees – providing the scion cuttings to establish future seed orchards.