SEELEY LAKE — Montana's Capitol Christmas tree was cut down on Monday in Seeley Lake and is headed to the Capitol rotunda.
The tree this year is a Douglas fir, and this comes after a time when trees of the same species in the area suffered from a large beetle infestation.
The tree was also on federal land, with the harvesting being a part of the Good Neighbor Authority, a way that partners across different agencies and private industries help manage the forest.
“This is a really special thing we do every year, harvesting the Christmas tree for the Capitol on public land. This year it's on US Forest Service land under the Good Neighbor Authority, which is an ability that the state uses with our federal partners to better manage our national forests,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte.
The tree will be lit on Monday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m. inside the Capitol in Helena, with a choir from Carroll College singing carols to welcome in the festive season.
