The next Christmas tree to be displayed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is being sourced from an Idaho forest, and the selection process is underway.

Jim Kaufman, executive director of the U.S. Capitol Grounds and Arboretum, met with media Monday in Potlatch to discuss his mission to find the perfect Christmas tree for the front lawn of the Capitol building.

He is touring the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests along with U.S. Forest Service staff to observe 12 candidate trees spread from the Palouse down to the southern end of the forest, which spans more than 4 million acres.

One of the trees will be harvested in late October or early November and prepped for its journey to Washington, D.C., according to Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor Jon Word.

Kaufman said the tree must be between 50 and 70 feet tall and must look appealing from every angle.

“The tree has to look perfect,” he said.

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a tradition dating to the 1970s. This will be the third time an Idaho tree has been selected for the distinction. Past trees have come from Boise National Forest in 2003 and Payette National Forest in 2016.

“It’s not just a tree, it’s representing people from around the country, the forests, the beautiful outdoors, the importance of land stewardship,” Kaufman said.

Word said his staff was notified last year that the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests had been selected. They spent that time learning the process from staff at last year’s chosen forest, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada.

The tree will be decorated with 10,000 handmade ornaments created by local community members. Word said local schoolchildren, members of 4-H clubs and people attending community events like Grangeville Border Days and Kooskia Days are all contributing ornaments.

“It’s pretty awesome to see,” he said.

Those interested in making ornaments can visit uscapitolchristmastree.com for more information and upcoming opportunities.

Kaufman, who has been selecting U.S. Capitol Christmas trees for nine years, said he must find a tree healthy enough to survive the cross-country trip. The tree will make several whistle-stops in Idaho towns and across the country so people can view it in person and learn about public lands.

Zach Peterson, staff officer for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, said the tree will be placed in a specially modified trailer provided by Hale Trailer and wrapped in a large bladder to keep it hydrated during the journey. Species under consideration include Douglas fir, grand fir, western white pine and western red cedar.

The U.S. Forest Service will announce details about the selected tree and the whistle-stop tour in the coming weeks.