Public invited to participate in The Nature Conservancy’s 12th Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

The holidays are just around the corner — get ready to celebrate.

Davis Mountains Preserve | October 25, 2011

Bring your handsaw, gloves and tie-down rope and join The Nature Conservancy on Saturday, December 3rd, or Saturday, December 10th, for the 12th Annual Christmas Tree Hunt at the Davis Mountains Preserve. There is no charge for this popular cut-your-own Christmas tree event, which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. We will be accepting canned goods and/or donations for the Fort Davis Food Pantry.

Participants can select a tree from a predetermined area along the Madera Creek watershed where piñon pine and alligator junipers are common. Please note that power saws are not allowed.

Regular tree thinning is essential for severe wildfire prevention and for maintaining a healthy ecosystem in the Davis Mountains, so by cutting your own tree, you’re actually helping us to manage this iconic West Texas landscape.

The Preserve will also be open for hiking, picnics, photography, birding and other outdoor activities.

Important Reminders:

• Only high clearance vehicles will be allowed past the McIvor Conservation Center.
• Only camp stoves are allowed, and open camp fires are prohibited. (Jeff Davis County continues to be subject to a burn ban.)
• Restrooms are available at the McIvor Conservation Center.
• Guests should bring their own food and drinks and plan to take their trash home with them.
• Hikers should bring their own binoculars, cameras, sunscreen, hats and plenty of water to drink.
• Firearms, stereos and TVs are not permitted on the preserve.
• For safety reasons, children must be supervised by their parents or other designated adults.
• No pets of any kind are permitted on the preserve.

Davis Mountains Preserve is located approximately 25 miles northwest of Ft. Davis on Hwy. 118 (about 10 miles past McDonald Observatory & about ¼ mile past the Lawrence E. Wood Picnic Area). For further information, e-mail DMP Director Chris Pipes at cpipes@tnc.org or call 432-426-2390. Participants must sign in at the McIvor Conservation Center.

To learn more about the Davis Mountains Preserve and other Texas lands the Conservancy works to protect, visit www.nature.org/texas.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.