The holidays are still a few months away, but the Missouri Department of Conservation has already put out a call for a tree for the governor’s mansion lawn in Jefferson City.
MDC is asking landowners, homeowners, businesses and communities that may have candidate trees to contact them.
Trees must be around 40 feet tall and be an eastern red cedar, Norway spruce or white pine that is fully branched on all sides and accessible by large equipment.
Ideally, the tree may be either near the end of its life or need to be removed for other reasons. MDC staff will coordinate the cutting and delivery of the tree to the governor's mansion at no cost to the owner. The donor will receive a thank-you from the governor and an invitation to the lighting ceremony, which usually occurs the first week of December.
If you have a tree that could work, send photos of it to holidaytrees@mdc.mo.gov.
All entries must be submitted by October 11. Find guidelines here.