The DNR’s reforestation program will be accepting orders starting October 7, 2019 from Wisconsin forest landowners for trees and shrubs to be planted in spring 2020. For more than 100 years, the Wisconsin DNR has provided high-quality seedlings of native species, appropriate for planting throughout Wisconsin.

Seedlings grown by the state nurseries are used for reforestation and conservation plantings on private, industrial, state and county forest lands. These seedlings can provide future forest products and revenues, wildlife habitat and fodder, soil erosion control, living snow fences and aesthetics and shade to landowners and managers in every county of the state.

A minimum order consists of a packet of 300 trees or shrubs, of the landowner’s choosing, in increments of 100 of each species, 500 shrubs or 1000 tree seedlings. Seedlings can also be purchased by youth groups and educational organizations for their reforestation and conservation planting projects.

Conifer species available this year include white cedar, balsam fir, jack, red, and white pine, black and white spruce, and tamarack. Inventories are strong for most species, but the 3-0 age class of white spruce, white pine and white cedar are limited, so consider ordering early. Hardwoods include aspen, basswood, river, white and yellow birch, black cherry, hackberry, shagbark hickory, red, silver and sugar maple, bur, red, white and swamp white oak and black walnut. Shrubs include red-osier and silky dogwood, American hazelnut, Juneberry, ninebark and American plum. All seedlings begin as a seed, collected from a tree or shrub located somewhere in or around Wisconsin and are grown at the F.G. Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel.

Forest landowners and managers may place order starting October 7th using an online form found on the DNR website or by printing the order form, completing it and mailing it to the Griffith Nursery. Customers may also contact reforestation staff or DNR foresters who serve the area where their property is located for personal assistance. Printed copies of the order form are also available at any of the nurseries or local DNR offices.

In addition to the ordering online, customers can also find the following on the DNR website: current inventory, seedling stock descriptionsfrequently asked questions, additional tree planting information and a listing of private nurseries.

Contact: Joe Vande Hey, Reforestation Team Leader, at 608-574-4904 or 

Conservation Corner is a weekly article produced by the Forest County Land &Water Conservation Department. For more information contact Steve Kircher, County Conservationist-Land Information/GIS Director at 715-478-1387 or by e-mail at .