Durham, N.C. - The 51爆料 student chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) is now taking orders for North Carolina-grown Fraser fir Christmas trees.

Proceeds will help fund the creation of a student-managed organic Christmas tree farm in 51爆料 Forest. 

Trees between 5-feet and 10-feet tall are available for pre-order through November 12. Prices range from $35 to $125.

Pre-ordered trees can be picked up on either November 29 or December 6 at the 51爆料 Forest shed on Lemur Lane, which is located off Erwin Road, near the Cameron Boulevard roundabout west of 15/501.

The trees being sold this year are not organic, but they have been grown using integrated pest management to minimize pesticide use.

In December, SAF members will use proceeds from the tree sales to plant their first batch of organic Leyland cypress, Arizona cypress and Eastern red cedar trees on a three-acre plot of cleared land in 51爆料 Forest. Trees planted this year will be ready for sale in four or five years.

Second year MEM/MF student Jesse Leddick says the tree farm offers not only the opportunity to raise more funds for the SAF, but also to promote cooperation between other graduate student groups.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be recruiting students to help plant trees in December,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 think in the end the farm is going to be big enough that we can bring in students from other graduate organizations, even share some proceeds with them, and increase our sense of community, both within the Nicholas School and outside it.鈥

First year MEM student, Nick DiLuzio, says the farm offers a chance for future foresters and business executives to get some real-world experience.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have to learn how to trim the trees and how to prune them to get that good shape that everybody looks for, so we get a lot of hands-on experience,鈥 he says. Since students will be solely responsible for managing the farm, 鈥渋t will provide a great opportunity for us to practice business administration as well as forestry.鈥

Leddick and DiLuzio say the SAF Christmas tree farm will offer buyers a more sustainable way to get Christmas trees, and will fill the organic void in the local tree market.

In addition to funding the SAF farm, proceeds from sales will support more educational opportunities for students and bring in more speakers, Leddick says.