A north central Idaho native will be the star of the U.S. Capitol holiday celebrations later this year.

The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest will supply the Christmas tree that is to stand in front of the Capitol, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release. It will be the first time the four-million acre forest has provided the tree that serves as the focus of outdoor Christmas activities in the nation’s capitol.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little, the state’s two U.S. Senators — Mike Crapo and Jim Risch — and forest supervisor Jon Word all declared it an honor for both Idaho and the Nez Perce-Clearwater forest to be selected as the provider of the “People’s Tree.” The national forest is known for its ideal tree growing conditions and its vast stands of firs, cedars, pines and larch that blanket a diverse landscape of tangled mountains and wild river canyons.

“This remarkable tree from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests represents the natural beauty, stewardship and community spirit of north-central Idaho,” Crapo said in the news release. “The lights that will illuminate its branches will provide a glimpse into the radiant beauty and wonder of Idaho’s natural landscape. Idaho is proud to share a piece of our public lands with the nation during this season of reflection and unity.”

Forest officials will spend the next few months identifying candidate trees. The Nez Perce Tribe and the Society of American Forester’s will assist in the process, according to the news release. The final choice, likely to be 60 to 90 feet tall, straight and conical, will be made this summer by officials from the Architect of the Capitol — the small agency that oversees the capital and its grounds. Sawyers will fall the tree in October at which point it will make a circuitous tour across the country, stopping in cities and towns before arriving in Washington, D.C., around Thanksgiving.

The Architect of the Capitol will decorate the tree with lights and ornaments. Traditionally, the lights are turned on during a ceremony presided over by the Speaker of the House.

Each year, the Capitol tree comes from one of the 154 public forests overseen by the U.S. Forest Service. The last Capitol Christmas tree from Idaho, an Engelmann spruce, came from the Payette National Forest in 2016.