Virginia Department
of Forestry

Virginia’s Capitol Christmas Tree, 2019

November 27, 2019 11:55 am

Each year, a live Virginia-grown tree is selected and harvested by the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) to serve as the Christmas tree on display at Virginia’s Capitol in Richmond. The annual Christmas trees are donated from tree farmers across state; this year, the tree selected was a roughly 20-foot Colorado blue spruce, donated by Helen Braunworth and Helen’s daughter and son-in-law Cindy and Wayne Crickenberger from Friendly Forest Farm – a certified Tree Farm in Augusta County. The tree is donated in honor of Helen and her late husband William “Bill” Braunworth.

The roughly 20-foot Colorado blue spruce before harvest.

Trees have historically been donated from tree farms in different regions of the state, but finding the right tree usually comes down to the tree farmers working with their local forester. Patti Nylander is a senior area forester in VDOF’s Western Region. Patti has developed a close working relationship with the Braunworth/Crickenberger family, and when it came time to identify the 2019 tree, Patti reached out to Cindy and Wayne to tour their properties in search of the perfect specimen.

Chris Thomsen (regional forester) says it may be easy to underestimate the relationships between foresters and landowners, but foresters are an essential contact for tree farmers and forest landowners; foresters are key players in supporting forest economy and management in our commonwealth. It’s this relationship that gave Patti the access and knowledge to find the right tree on the Friendly Forest Farm property – a substantial Colorado blue spruce that was likely planted more than 20 years ago.

On November 25, a harvest team assembled on the Braunworth property in Augusta County. The team consisted of Patti Nylander, Chris Thomsen, Brad Carrico (deputy regional forester) and Cole Young (forest technician). Wayne Crickenberger was tasked with felling the tree, with his wife Cindy and the VDOF staff there for preparations and logistics.

The process of cutting, wrapping and transporting a tree of this size is no simple task; the team had to plan their approach and prepare supplies in advance. First, the team unfurled a tarp and cut baling rope that would be used to wrap the tree, similarly to how a Christmas tree would be baled before being loaded onto someone’s car, except this tree was 12 to 15 feet wide!

Next, Wayne used a chainsaw to clear away the dead, low branches on the spruce. Then two smaller trees that blocked access to the selected tree were removed. WHSV reporter John Hood was on site reporting on the tree harvest and was allowed to take the smaller “Christmas tree” to the WHSV office.

John Hood posing with the small Christmas tree.

Wayne cut the tree, with Brad’s strategic guidance to ensure the tree fell appropriately onto the tarp and rope for baling. Once the tree was felled, the team worked quickly to wrap the tree.

Wayne Crickenberger baling the tree.

Patti Nylander (senior area forester) and Brad Carrico (deputy regional forester) baling the tree.

Wayne expertly navigated a tractor to carry the tree to the driveway, where VDOF’s flatbed truck was waiting. The tree was lifted and positioned on the truck bed and secured for the eventual long journey to Richmond.

Wayne Crickenberger driving the tractor.

Patti Nylander, Brad Carrico, Wayne Crickenberger and Cindy Crickenberger loading the tree onto the truck.

The tree will be housed in a garage at the Augusta Forestry Center in Crimora, Virginia, until December 2, when it will be delivered by flatbed to Richmond. Once it arrives there, a crew will lift the tree with a crane and set it in place on the portico at the Capitol building in preparation for a tree lighting ceremony with Governor Northam on December 5, which the Braunworth/Crickenberger family plans to attend. Stay tuned for photo updates!

Friendly Forest Farm is one of three tree farms owned by Helen Braunworth in Augusta County. Bill Braunworth was a dedicated tree farmer for more than 60 years; according to the family, Bill was responsible for hundreds of acres of planted trees and active forest and tree farm management in three states – New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Bill was recognized as a strong advocate for forest landowners and active forest management. He worked to demonstrate and facilitate sustainable forestry practices, soil conservation and water quality improvement on his own property and on public lands when the opportunity allowed.

Though the family no longer sells Christmas trees, the legacy of the farms stands strong; the properties are still treed with seedlings planted by Bill, and the family finds great importance in keeping the land in forest and out of development. Bill’s son-in-law Wayne believes he’d be delighted to know that a tree from his farm would stand at the Capitol.

Wayne and Cindy Crickenberger.

According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), there are nearly 500 farms across Virginia where Christmas trees are grown. In fact, Virginia is the seventh leading state in terms of total Christmas trees harvested. The most common types of trees sold as Christmas trees in Virginia include balsam fir, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine. The Christmas tree industry is a strong contributor to our agricultural economy, with annual sales of Virginia Christmas trees around $10 million. This industry, built around important holiday traditions, is an opportunity to support Virginian agricultural businesses.

Real trees are also an opportunity to support sustainable business; Virginia-grown trees are renewable and recyclable (unlike artificial trees) and growers typically plant two to three seedlings for every tree that is cut.

VDACS says that the supply for real Christmas trees is a little tight this year, but no one needs to worry about walking away empty handed – there is a real Christmas tree for everyone in 2019.

Some of the information in this post was sourced from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and from personal correspondence from the Braunworth/Crickenberger family to VDOF and the media in November, 2019.

Category: Administration