UNDATED - 'Tis the season for holiday wreaths, swags and garland. And, it's a good bet these beautiful and fragrant decorations came from a Minnesota state forest.

The Minnesota DNR says Balsam fir boughs and branches harvested from state forests are used to make wreaths that adorn homes across the country.

Each year about 750,000 pounds of balsam boughs are harvested between late September and early December. This results in the production of 150,000 wreaths.

Estimated annual sales for Minnesota companies producing wreaths exceeds $23 million. Nonprofits like the Boy Scouts, 4-H, and schools sell wreaths and swags as fund raisers.

The industry of harvesting and wreath making began in Minnesota in the 1960s.

To harvest balsam boughs from state forest lands, all harvesters must get and carry a permit from the DNR.

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