Chopping a Christmas tree down helps the Black Hills National Forest

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - It’s a common family tradition to cut down the Christmas tree. If you cut one down in the Black Hills National Forest, there’s a process you must follow.

It all starts with getting a bright orange tree tag for just $10. Then, it’s off to the forest.

When you find that perfect tree, it must be under 20 feet. If you only want the top part of the tree, but not the bottom 2 feet, the National Forest Service says to cut the whole thing down. Then trim off what you want.

“We find as you walk through the woods, topped trees if you will. So, people will take the top eight-foot of a tree and leave four-foot on the ground, because they only want an eight-foot tree. We ask that you take the entire tree down, to the six-inch trunk size,” explained Halley Legge, Forestry Technician for Black Hills National Forest Service.

Cutting trees down helps other trees grow bigger and stronger and eliminates fuel for fires.

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