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If you want to cut down your own Christmas tree, a tradition for some folks, all you’ve got to do is plunk down $10 and the U.S. Forest Service will provide a permit. But some people in Denver are skipping the trip to the mountains altogether and heading to city parks instead, chopping down trees there without permission. One thief made away with a blue spruce at Ashgrove Park earlier this week, writes 7News, and at nearby Lindsley Park, another tree was taken just days ago. And city forester Robert Davis says new ones are unlikely to be planted in their place: “We have a limited budget for tree replacement.” (Each tree costs up to $825, including labor.)
Meanwhile, 7News also reports that Christmas tree lots aren’t moving a whole lot of product. Could it be the mild weather? “It’s been tough,” says Shawn McKee, of Cherry Creek Christmas Trees. “Not having snow has been hard on us. We have just been praying for it.”