Nevada’s Christmas tree, heading to D.C., stops in Las Vegas — PHOTOS
The federal government may be shut down, but Silver Belle is on a tight schedule for her cross-country road trip from the forest of Nevada to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
Splayed out horizontally in a partly transparent mega-truck and adorned with colorful ornaments, each honoring the state’s iconic natural places, the hefty 53-foot-tall red fir tree was the sight to see outside the Las Vegas Civic Center on Tuesday. The event’s sponsor was the Vegas Chamber.
In the six decades that a state has provided a tree to the nation’s capitol, this is the first time one has come from Nevada.
U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Cheva Gabor said she hopes it brings visibility to the little-known Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest — the largest forest in the contiguous U.S., which is scattered across Nevada and eastern California.
“Some Nevadans may not know that a big part of their state is National Forest,” Gabor said. “Whether you’re interested in playing outdoors, whether you need the things that the mining industry provides, if you’re eating beef — all of those things come from National Forest System lands.”
Speaking on behalf of the state’s congressional delegation on stage were Reps. Dina Titus and Susie Lee, both D-Nev. Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony will light the tree at the Capitol alongside Virginia City fourth grader Grady Armstrong, the 10-year-old winner of a statewide essay contest.
In his winning essay, the Gallagher Elementary School student wrote: “Nevada is not just a desert, it’s full of life, history, and beauty. I think everyone in the country should know how important it is to enjoy and protect these amazing places.”
Titus was the only one to mention — to audience applause — the ongoing federal government shutdown that had reached its 35th day. Dozens of Forest Service employees staffed the event Tuesday, despite being furloughed.
“They helped carefully select this tree, gently harvest it and now safely transport it across the country,” Titus said, wearing a bright pink Christmas sweater. “And don’t forget for one minute that they are working without pay.”
The road to D.C.
For about three hours, city employees and residents took turns snapping pictures with Smoky Bear and signing a banner on the truck before it jetted off.
Five tree candidates were in the running to be harvested, including some in Southern Nevada. The Architect of the Capitol, the agency tasked with maintaining the grounds of Capitol Hill, made the final choice, Gabor said.
The roughly 50-year-old tree came from outside the Mount Rose Ski Resort near Reno.
It started off its three-week journey at the Nevada Day parade in Carson City on Friday before making its way to Lovelock and Ely. On Thursday, it will stop by Hoover Dam and head into Arizona, Gabor said.
When asked how the tree is kept fresh for such a long period, Gabor said a so-called “water bladder” is attached to the trunk with a wax ring. Each day, the tree drinks between 30 and 40 gallons of water, she said.
“As we work our way across the country, we need access to water every day for the tree to keep her beautiful,” Gabor said.
And Nevadans have embraced the Silver State spirit every step of the way so far, with more than double the amount of ornaments created for it — about 23,000 — instead of an expected 10,000, said Duncan Leao, the Capitol Christmas tree project lead at the Forest Service.
“Our national forests are a symbol of what our public lands, our Christmas tree, bring to the American people,” Leao said. “From the starry skies across Nevada to the neon lights in Reno and Las Vegas, we welcome you, the spirit of the Silver State.”
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
