At Forestry England, we've proudly selected, felled, and delivered Westminster's Christmas tree for over two decades. Every winter, a majestic spruce makes its way from the wild beauty of Kielder Forest in Northumberland to the Houses of Parliament in the very heart of London, bringing festive cheer to the capital.
Selecting the ideal tree
Finding the right tree for this important job isn’t as easy as simply picking the tallest. Starting in the summer, expert foresters spend months monitoring a shortlist to make sure the chosen spruce is symmetrical, healthy, and beautiful to look at.
To ensure the tree is as sustainable as possible, it’s selected from an open area in the forest, allowing ground plants to flourish in the space created once it's been felled.
This year’s chosen tree is a 40ft Sitka spruce. Although this type is rarely used in homes due to its spiky needles, the great heights they can reach make them perfect for grand, public displays.
The journey from Kielder to Westminster
Transporting a tree that’s as tall as a four-storey building and weighs three tonnes is no easy task. The journey from Kielder Forest to London is more than 300 miles and requires careful planning to ensure the tree arrives safely and in perfect condition.
After being carefully felled by skilled foresters, the tree spends some time acclimatising in a local warehouse before being carefully wrapped and transported on a haulage truck.
Once it arrives, the tree is put in place and decorated before standing outside the Houses of Parliament for the festive season. After Christmas, it's chipped and reused in London’s parks and green spaces, where it can continue to benefit the environment.
Growing the future
To ensure a consistent supply of tall, high-quality trees, new seedlings are planted to restock the forest for future Christmas trees, as well as providing a significant supply of local, sustainable timber. The Westminster Christmas tree of 2065 could well be already growing under the canopy at Kielder Forest.
