C.O. Christmas tree buyers have to dig a bit deeper

If you’re planning to buy your Christmas tree soon, it might cost you a little more than last year. A national Christmas tree shortage is impacting tree lot prices in Central Oregon.

The shortage comes mostly from the Great Recession in 2008, when shoppers where not buying as many trees. In response, growers did not plant as many trees.

Since it takes 10 years for a tree to mature, we are now seeing the effects of the shortage, and smaller sellers are impacted the most.

Randy Wills, the pastor and site director of a tree lot at Fathers House, a church in Bend, said Monday the shortage has impacted their ability to give.

“When we started the first year, five years ago, I believe, we were able to send away $30,000, because the price of trees was low, and we were able to get great sponsors,” Wills said. “This last year, we were at about $20,000.”

He also said this shortage is impacting more than just the cost of trees.

“In the past, we’ve been able to offer three or four different kinds of trees,” Wills said. “But because of the price increases, we’ve gone back down to just Douglas and Noble (firs). Our Douglas are beautiful, the Noble is a bit rougher. And that’s across the board — not just at our lot, but all over the place.”

Wills said the church is working with great farmers who are working hard to fill their orders, but with the shortage of Nobles, it’s getting harder to find a great tree they love. He also said their tree supplier believes the shortage will continue for three more years.