Amid rise in theft of holiday ‘decorative materials,’ Minnesotan charged in illegal harvest of spruce tops

A St. Louis County man accused of illegally harvesting the tops of evergreens to sell for holiday decorations faces a felony theft charge for the first time because of the enormity of the violation and repeat offenses, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The charge comes at a time of year when the state’s conservation officers (COs) often report more suspicious activity involving spruce tops, birch poles and boughs, aka “decorative materials.” CO reports in the last two weeks have had several references to investigating theft cases.

Blake Buschman of Babbitt was caught Oct. 27 with 1,300 cut spruce tops on county land west of town, said state conservation officer Anthony Bermel, who has had several run-ins with Buschman in recent years.

“I would call him a very habitual offender,” Bermel said.

Other charges in the case include a gross misdemeanor for trespassing; a failure to obtain consent to cut decorative materials; and littering on both public and private property. Buschman faces jail time and fines if convicted, the officer added.

Legal harvest and purchase of decorative materials is allowed in Minnesota. For example, a DNR permit is needed to cut in state forests. Also, private landowners can permit others to harvest on their properties.

The business market has picked up in recent years, increasing illegal activity, Bermel said. Some violators will cut from mid-September until Thanksgiving, removing as many as 10,000 spruce tops from dense bogs in a season.

Assisted by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and Babbitt’s police chief, Bermel seized 1,300 spruce tops that Buschman allegedly cut and bundled. His last cut covered 5 acres, Bermel added.

“There have been problems on state forest, private and county land, and it just seems like there are certain cutters out there — Buschman being one — that have no regard for land ownership,” the officer said.

In Saginaw, Minn., commercial vehicle inspectors noticed a box truck as much as 3,000 pounds overweight during a routine check Oct. 30. The truck was stuffed with spruce tops from 2 to 6 feet along with white pine boughs. Officials contacted conservation officer Derek Peterlin, who said the goods were bought from multiple sellers but were acquired illegally. The materials were en route to a Michigan business, which didn’t have a Minnesota buyer’s license.

The business was cited and paid the $25 for a state permit to buy going forward, Peterlin said.