In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson lit the national Christmas Tree to kick off the holiday season, a 70-foot blue spruce donated by the White Mountain Apaches of Arizona.
It was a time when Americans, and the Apaches, looked for new ways to interact with their natural environment.
The tribe had begun to create lakes for recreation, and it named one of them Christmas Tree to commemorate its contribution to the nation's holiday tradition.
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management reports that Apache lands have been tapped for another tree this year.
The agency recently announced the tribe will donate a blue spruce from its high elevation forests, this time for the state Capitol.
A lighting ceremony will take place Dec. 4 in the executive tower.
The tribe has worked with state and federal agencies on fire management and conservation projects over the years, including restoration of the Apache trout.
