Rows of pine and tamarack seedlings in late March at the Wilson State Nursery. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Joe Vande Hey, DNR Reforestation Team Leader
Joseph.VandeHey@wisconsin.gov or 608-574-4904
As of Monday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has begun accepting seedling orders from Wisconsin landowners who plan to plant them in spring 2027.
The seedling ordering program is switching to a new online storefront. This will give customers using their MyWisconsin ID the ability to select from a live seedling inventory and pay for their orders online at the time of ordering.
Jack pine seedlings at the Wilson State Nursery. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
A MyWisconsin ID can be created at MyWisconsin ID [exit DNR]. The ID needs to be completed prior to ordering. Then, customers can visit the DNR website to begin their orders.
The high-quality seedlings, grown at the F.G. Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel, are native species appropriate for planting throughout Wisconsin. Seedlings grown by the state nurseries are meant for reforestation and conservation plantings on private, public and tribal lands.
Seedlings can provide future forest products and revenues, wildlife habitat, soil erosion control, living snow fences, carbon storage, aesthetics and shade for landowners and public land managers in every county.
What’s more, each seedling planted will bring Wisconsin closer to the state’s Trillion Trees Pledge of planting 100 million trees across the state by 2030.
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 1,000 tree seedlings. Youth groups and educational organizations can also purchase seedlings for their reforestation and conservation planting projects.
Conifer species available this year include white cedar; balsam fir; tamarack; jack, red and white pine; and black and white spruce. Hardwoods available include aspen, basswood, river, white and yellow birch, butternut, black cherry, American elm, hackberry, bitternut hickory, silver and sugar (hard) maple, bur, red, southern pin, swamp white and white oak, sycamore and black walnut. Shrubs include buttonbush, chokeberry (Aronia spp.), choke cherry, prairie crab, American highbush cranberry, grey, red-osier, and silky dogwood, hawthorn, American hazelnut, Juneberry, ninebark and American plum.
Some species are limited in supply, and we anticipate high demand. Please order early for the best chance to obtain these seedlings. If you are interested in learning more about any seedling prior to purchase, refer to our stock descriptions for a description of seedling size and characteristics.
Research has shown that landowners that work with reforestation staff or a DNR forester have more successful plantings. Foresters can provide reforestation advice, property visits or create a planting plan.
Printed copies of the order form are also available; please contact a local forester or nursery for details. Telephone orders are an option; however, we do not accept phone orders for the first two weeks of seedling sales due to the anticipated order volume and staff limitations. We will begin taking phone orders on Oct. 19, 2026.
Customers can also still order using a printed order form, completing it and mailing it to:
Griffith State Nursery
473 Griffith Avenue
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
In addition to ordering online, customers can also find information related to current inventory, frequently asked questions, additional tree planting information and a listing of private nurseries.
If you have questions or comments, please contact your local Reforestation Program staff.