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Endlessly Wild and Wonderful

2023 Tree from Monongahela National Forest Lit on West Lawn

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US Capitol Christmas Tree

The holiday season has officially begun, as the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the Monongahela National Forest was lit during a public ceremony. The Architect of the Capitol welcomed Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Alex Mooney (R-WV), essay contest winner Ethan Reese and the Richwood High School Marching Band.

This year’s tree is a 63-foot Norway spruce from the Greenbrier Ranger District in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. The People’s Tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2024. Visiting the tree is free and open to the public. No ticket is required.

Watch the ceremony

Trees grown in Bruceton Mills to be displayed in Washington, D.C.

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CCT USDA Tree

With this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas celebration theme being “Endlessly Wild and Wonderful,” a number of smaller trees will be distributed throughout Washington D.C. and Joint Base Andrew. All of these trees will be provided by presenting sponsor 84 Lumber and Jim Rockis of Bruceton Mills, WV.

Jim Rockis became interested in quantitative genetics in the early 90s with help from late WVU professor Frank Cech. Since Cech passed back in 2009, Rockis has carried out the knowledge and skill needed to produce genetically superior trees, more specifically the Canaan Fir tree.

“There’s a lot of things that folks don’t know about in our state of West Virginia that we’re doing with forestry, we’re doing with horticulture, and I kind of look at myself as combining the two. What we do and is kind of neat, we’re supplying a lot of the seed that goes to high growers in Michigan, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts and even North Carolina,” Rockis said in an interview with 12 News.

The most popularly recognized Christmas tree is the Frasier Fir, though Rockis said that it’s rather difficult to grow. This encouraged Rockis’ experimentation of the Canaan Fir, a tree native of West Virginia, which he has developed to resemble a Frasier Fir yet with a better “shelf life.”

Rockis and 84 Lumber are working together to deliver a 25-foot Canaan Fir that Rockis selected himself to the federal USDA building in Washington, D.C.

“I’m very honored to participate in this to show what we do here, particularly with forestry, agriculture, horticulture, particularly in the private sector of West Virginia. We’re very excited to share with the nation what we’re doing up here, and how we’re developing genetically superior trees,” said Rockis.

Rockis hopes to be in D.C. whenever the trees arrive, and he hopes to encourage the youth by sharing his own story.

Originally published at WBOY on September 28, 2023.
Photo of 25′ Canaan Fir in the USDA building in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Readied for its Journey

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After being harvested on Nov. 1, staff spent three days prepping the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree for its journey from the mountains of West Virginia to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. 

West Hempfield Township-based AHF Products Inc. lent its facility to ready and wrap the tree in Beverly, West Virginia. AHF is a second-year sponsor. Beverly is located near Elkins, WV, home of the Monongahela National Forest. View this timelapse of part of the process. 

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour Kicks off in Elkins

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The 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will visit Elkins in early November on its way to Washington, D.C. The free event, set for Saturday, Nov. 4, will feature a parade, live music, and activities for children. 

“We are honored that the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will kick off its journey to Washington, D.C. from Elkins,” Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco said. “Our community looks forward to being a part of this gift to the nation and the joy it will bring to our community this holiday.”

The Nov. 4 festivities in Elkins will include remarks by invited government officials, free treats and hot chocolate, a coat drive, music, and children’s activities.

The event will begin with a parade, as local bands escort the tree down Third Street from the Jennings Randolph Federal Building to the Elkins Depot. Onlookers will receive small U.S. and West Virginia flags, provided by Our Town, Inc., to wave as the bands and trees go by. 

Parade viewers will then be encouraged to join the back of the parade and march along to the Depot. Once there, the festivities will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Elves from The Old Brick Playhouse will also join the celebration. The event is free and open to the public. 

The Elkins Depot Welcome Center will be decorated, and the nearby streets will be adorned with wreaths purchased in honor or memoriam by local citizens. The installation of these wreaths and six snowflakes on Randolph Avenue is being provided by a donation from FirstEnergy. 

The “Elfkins Planning Team” has been working on the arrangements for this kick-off event. The planning team includes Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco and his staff, the Randolph County Development Authority, the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber, Elkins Main Street, the Elkins Depot Welcome Center, the Old Brick Playhouse, Citizens Promoting Community, and Our Town, Inc. 

Manchin Announces Ethan Reese as Winner of 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Essay Contest

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Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced Ethan Reese from Beverly Elementary School in Randolph County as the winner of the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest. More than 400 entries were received from fourth graders across West Virginia. Ethan will travel to DC this holiday season to take part in the official tree-lighting ceremony alongside members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the public.

“I’m thrilled to announce Ethan Reese from Beverly Elementary School has won the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest out of more than 400 outstanding submissions,” said Senator Manchin. “Ethan will join us in DC this holiday season to officially light the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, which will be from West Virginia’s beautiful Monongahela National Forest. The celebration will showcase not only our remarkable forestry, but also our strong community spirit. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest and shared with me what our Wild and Wonderful home means to you – I can’t wait to celebrate with Ethan, our fellow West Virginians and our fellow Americans.”

For this year’s essay contest, fourth grade students were invited to describe in 500 words why they love West Virginia’s forests and public lands, incorporating the theme of the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree: “Endlessly Wild & Wonderful.” Senator Manchin selected Ethan to receive a once-in-a-lifetime all-expenses paid trip for him and one guardian to travel to Washington, DC to take part in the official tree-lighting ceremony alongside members of Congress and the public. Ethan will be invited to attend several other festivities during his visit at a date to be determined in late November or early December.

The Capitol Christmas Tree – known as “The People’s Tree” – lights up the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol during the holiday season and is selected from a different national forest each year, a tradition that began in 1970 when Monongahela National Forest provided the first tree on behalf of the Forest Service. Monongahela National Forest also provided the tree in 1976. This year, the tree will be harvested in Randolph County from the Greenbrier Ranger District and will travel around West Virginia throughout November before heading to Washington.

For more information about the tree, travel route, schedule and special events, please click here.

A video of Senator Manchin congratulating Ethan is available here.

Ethan’s winning essay can be found below:

My name is Ethan Reese, and I am in 4th Grade at Beverly Elementary School. I live very close to where the Capitol Christmas Tree is from, the Monongahela National Forest. I spend a lot of time there with my family, and I am the great-great grandson of one of the very first Superintendents of the Monongahela National Forest. The biggest reason I love West Virginia forests and public lands is because they allow me to spend time with my family. I take photographs with my dad, hike with my mom, fish with my grandpa, identify wildflowers with my grandparents, travel and explore with my parents, and camp with all of my family.

One of my favorite things to do in West Virginia’s forests and public lands is to identify plants and animals, especially birds. I did see a black bear once, which was pretty exciting. I really enjoy wildflower identification the most. My parents and grandparents tell me I “get it honest” because my grandfather is a biologist, and my great grandfather was a botanist. My great grandfather even discovered a plant on Cheat Mountain that was thought to have been extinct in West Virginia. When I travel around the state with my parents, I like to watch for wildflowers, listen to birds and smell the fresh air. The sounds of the rivers are very relaxing. I have visited many places with my parents in West Virginia, but still have a lot of other places I would like to visit.

Our forest and public lands were something that allowed my family to still go outside and explore during the pandemic. For us, most of that was in the Monongahela National Forest, where I visited the Virgin Timbers on Cheat Mountain for the first time. My grandma is a retired history teacher, and she told us that over 100 years ago most of West Virginia looked like those Virgin Timbers. I learned that most of our forests were clear-cut long ago, but there were many people who helped restore our forests. One of those people was my great-great grandfather, Arthur Wood, who became Superintendent of the Monongahela National forest in 1931. He set a plan in motion to plant millions of trees to rebuild the forest for future generations. Thanks to those efforts, I am lucky my generation knows the Mountain State as one covered in Endless trees and Wonderful wildflowers, and home to many Wild animals.

I love that I have a great connection to one of West Virginia’s forest treasures, the Monongahela National Forest, through family history and my love of nature! I am excited that the Capitol Christmas tree is from the forest where I love to explore, and I know my great-great grandfather would be so happy that, almost 100 years later, our beautiful Monongahela National Forest, and other state lands, have been kept Endlessly Wild and Wonderful!

Shawnee Tribe Names 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree 

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Monongahela National Forest announced today that the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree has been named “wa’feem’tekwi” by the Shawnee Tribe. The name means “bright tree” in the Shawnee language and is pronounced phonetically “wa thame tech we”.

“We are grateful for the strong relationship the Eastern Region of the Forest Service has with the Shawnee Tribe,” said Regional Forester Gina Owens. “And we deeply appreciate the name they have bestowed on the tree that will be harvested from Monongahela National Forest this holiday season.”

The tribe has also contributed handmade ornaments and messaging for the educational exhibit that will tour with the tree in November. After the holidays, the Shawnee Tribe will use wood from the tree at their ceremonial grounds in White Oak, Oklahoma.

The Forest Service invited the Shawnee Tribe to name the tree as part of the ongoing celebration of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree initiative and to honor the agency’s unique nation-to-nation relationship with the Shawnee Tribe.

“On behalf of Monongahela National Forest, I’d like to thank the Shawnee Tribe for naming this special tree. Names are important and “wa’feem’tekwi” reminds us of our connection to the Shawnee Tribe and the importance of our mutual relationship,” said Shawn Cochran, forest supervisor for Monongahela National Forest. “This is the third time Monongahela National Forest has provided the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree from West Virginia.”

About the Shawnee Language Immersion Program

In 2020, almost immediately following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Shawnee Tribe leadership declared a state of emergency for the Shawnee Language, and the Decade of Shawnee began. The Shawnee Language Immersion Program (SLIP) initially started with in-person classes in three Oklahoma communities but moved to virtual classes due to the dangers posed by the pandemic. SLIP is now able to reach all Shawnees across the continent and even the globe!

First language Shawnee speaker George Blanchard helps the language department by creating a curriculum true to Shawnee culture. SLIP focuses on auditory learning and prioritizes speaking Shawnee over reading and writing. The team has also developed an online dictionary and archive through the Indigenous Languages Digital Archive and continues adding words as the program grows. SLIP’s goal is for all Shawnees to have access to language resources to ensure Shawnee can be used in daily life again.

Learn more about the Shawnee Tribe and the Shawnee Language Immersion Program at https://www.shawnee-nsn.gov/. A spokesperson for the Shawnee Tribe is available for media inquiries at media@shawnee-tribe.com.

About the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Since 1970, the Forest Service has been providing a tree harvested from a national forest to serve as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree for the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This year, the selected tree is a 63-foot Norway spruce located on the Greenbrier Ranger District in Randolph County, home to the Supervisor’s Office for Monongahela National Forest. This annual project is made possible with support from partners, including non-profit Choose Outdoors, along with cash and in-kind contributions from companies large and small, as well as volunteers locally and across America. We invite you to follow the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative at https://www.uscapitolchristmastree.com.