ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota foresters have cut down the official state Christmas tree in the Nemadji State Forest.
Department of Natural Resources forester Jean Mouelle selected this year's tree for the governor's residence in St. Paul, a Balsam Fir estimated at 60 years old. “This year’s tree is absolutely gorgeous—tall, full, and almost perfectly shaped,” said Mouelle, the DNR forester who selected this year’s tree. “It’s an impressive example of a balsam fir.”
Each year, DNR staff choose the governor's Christmas tree from one of Minnesota's 59 state forests. The tree is always harvested on the Friday before Thanksgiving. But, the search for the perfect tree begins months beforehand. It will be lit in St. Paul on Nov. 26.
The DNR says a-half million Christmas trees are harvested from private farms in Minnesota each holiday season, contributing about $30 million to the state's economy.
