From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - November 21, 2018

The holidays are coming to the Governor’s Residence!

Foresters from the Department of Natural Resources and the Conservation Corps of Minnesota harvested the official state Christmas tree Nov. 16 from the Nemadji State Forest. The tree, which is approximately 60 years old, will decorate the Governor’s Residence in St. Paul.

“This year’s tree is absolutely gorgeous—tall, full, and almost perfectly shaped,” said Jean Mouelle, the DNR forester who selected this year’s tree. “It’s an impressive example of a balsam fir.”

Each year, DNR staff chooses the Governor’s Christmas tree from one of Minnesota’s 59 state forests. Although the tree is always harvested on the Friday before Thanksgiving, the search for the perfect tree begins months beforehand. DNR foresters keep an eye out for a tall tree that’s nicely shaped and well filled out. The tree also needs to be in a location where it will not be damaged when dropped, and where foresters can easily remove it from the forest and load it onto a trailer.

The tree will be set up at the Governor’s Residence, 1006 Summit Ave., St. Paul, at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 19, and lit Monday, Nov. 26. Information about viewing the tree can be found at www.mn.gov/admin/governors-residence/tours/schedule.

Half a million Christmas trees are harvested from private tree farms in Minnesota each holiday season, contributing about $30 million to the state’s economy. For each tree harvested, one to three trees are planted. Real Christmas trees provide an environmentally friendly decorating option during the holidays because they store carbon during their lifespan and can be chipped for mulch when the season is over.