Proper tree planting requires a lot of decision-making. One of those decisions is which species and age are the most appropriate and cost-effective to plant. The Wisconsin Reforestation Program would like to take some of the unknowns out of that process by giving landowners and property managers an early peek at what we anticipate having available in fall 2021 for planting in spring 2022.

This list is preliminary, as some species may be added or subtracted depending on health, growth and other factors as the growing season progresses. Tree and shrub seedlings will be available to purchase on the first Monday of October (Oct. 4, 2021). Even with the expected high demand, we anticipate having various species and ages available to all customers.

The quantity designations are relative to a particular species based on historical sales and projected demand. For example, typically white pine 3-0 sales are about 250,000 seedlings. In 2022, the available quantity, due to several factors, including increased demand in 2021 for 2-year-old seedlings and a lower than anticipated seed germination in 2020, is approximately 75% of the anticipated need. Hence the quantity will be referred to as “limited.” In contrast, our balsam fir had an above-average germination, are growing great and the inventory is above the projected sales, hence an “adequate” quantity designation.

  Continue reading “Preliminary Seedling Availability: Spring 2022” →

The spring of 2021 has been conducive to seedling harvest at the Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel. The nights have been cool, and the days warm and dry. A few well-timed rain events kept the soil conditions moist but not muddy.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forestry staff and contractors are taking full advantage of the conditions. Regardless of the weather, the staff at the Wilson Nursery is working to harvest, grade and package our home-grown, native trees and shrubs for distribution to landowners across the state.

In our nursery operations, we know how many seedlings are available to sell by sampling a portion of our rows, inputting that data into a formula and then estimating inventories. Sometimes we underestimate, and sometimes we over estimate. Most of the time, we are close.

We learn how accurate we are when we harvest and grade those seedlings in the spring. This year, we have some species that had much healthier volumes than anticipated.

For those still interested in creating wildlife habitat, starting a plantation for future wood production, stabilizing an erodible bank or field, or adding to the landscape’s aesthetic beauty, the Wisconsin reforestation program may be able to help.

We still have inventories of jack and red pine, white spruce, red oak, black walnut and various wildlife shrubs. Plus, other species may become available. All are well suited for the soils of Wisconsin. Contact our nursery hotline at 715-424-3700 for up-to-date information on seedling availability and to place an order.

Seedlings sold by the Wisconsin state nurseries are to be used for reforestation, wildlife habitat and windbreak and erosion control purposes and must be planted in Wisconsin. The minimum order is a packet of 300 seedlings, 500 shrubs or 1,000 seedlings. Seedlings need to be picked up at the Wilson, Griffith or Hayward nurseries.

You can find answers to the most common questions about tree planting on this DNR web page or contact Jeremiah Auer, DNR Regeneration Specialist.

Are you planning to plant trees next spring? The DNR-Division of Forestry’s reforestation program will be accepting orders from Wisconsin forest landowners for tree and shrub seedlings starting October 5, 2020. The high-quality seedlings are 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. They can provide future forest products and revenue, wildlife habitat and fodder, soil erosion control, living snow fences and other benefits. Continue reading “Seedling sales begin October 5” →

By Jeremiah Auer, Forest Regeneration Specialist, (715) 459-1999

Winter hasn’t quite let loose its snowy grip from the Wilson State Nursery fields in Boscobel, but spring will be here soon and it won’t take long for the frost to leave the ground. Staff in the DNR reforestation program have already begun readying themselves to harvest seedlings. 

For those who have spent parts of the winter planning to improve their properties, we still have plenty of seedlings available to create and enhance wildlife habitat, stabilize the soil, block winter wind and snow and provide a future shady spot to sit and enjoy a morning.

Conifers available include jack pine and white spruce. Both are great for providing thermal cover to wildlife in the winter and privacy along a property line. Jack pine grows fast and in some of the most inhospitable sites in the state. Spruce tends to grow slowly but produces a dense hedge for critters.

Hardwoods include aspen, river, white and yellow birch, black cherry, silver maple, red, white and bur oaks and black walnut. Many of these hardwoods provide forage or mast for wildlife (or even humans!) and grow quickly in our fertile soils. Black cherry will begin producing fruit as soon as 5 years and aspen and birch will provide buds for grouse even faster.

Consider talking to a local forester to get more information on tree planting and forest management. A good planting plan can focus your efforts and create a strategy to achieve your property goals. Find the contact information for your local DNR forester on the DNR website (enter keyword “Forestry Assistance Locator”).

Contact our nursery hotline at (715) 424-3700 for up-to-date information on seedling availability and to place an order.

Seedlings sold by the Wisconsin State nurseries are to be used for reforestation, wildlife habitat and windbreak and erosion control purposes and must be planted in Wisconsin. Answers to the most common questions are available on the “Frequently Asked Questions” page.

Good news for forest landowners who want to plant white spruce this spring; we now have some 3-year-old white spruce seedlings available!

When the DNR reforestation program’s seedlings went on sale this past October, there was a smaller quantity of white spruce seedlings available for purchase than usual. A long, cold, snowy winter in 2018 at our seedling nursery in Boscobel and a cool, wet spring combined to adversely impact our newly germinating and young white spruce seedlings. White spruce is also one of our best sellers, as landowners enjoy the white spruce’s resistance to deer browse, moderate growth, tolerance to some shade and ability to grow in many soil types. This combination of low supply and high demand meant the available trees sold out quickly.

However, we recently learned that Minnesota DNR has a surplus of white spruce, so we were able to acquire some of their extra inventory for our customers. Wisconsin statutes allow for the exchange of seedlings between other state and USDA Forest Service nurseries as long as the seed used to grow the seedlings is appropriate for Wisconsin. In this case, the white spruce seed was from southern Minnesota and the seedlings are very appropriate for planting in Wisconsin.

The only caveat is that the Minnesota nursery is quite far north so the spruce seedlings will be available later in the spring, probably early May. If you would like to purchase white spruce or any other tree or shrub seedlings, please visit us at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/TreePlanting/ or contact our nursery staff at (715) 424-3700.

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. Continue reading “Seedling sales begin October 7” →

DNR employees at the Wilson Nursery have been busy harvesting, grading and packaging our native trees and shrubs for distribution across the state. For landowners interested in creating wildlife habitat, starting a plantation for future wood production, stabilizing an erodible bank or field or adding to the aesthetic beauty of the landscape, the Wisconsin DNR reforestation program may be able to help.

We still have white pine, red pine, silver maple, black cherry, aspen and American plum seedlings available for sale. All are well suited for the soils of Wisconsin. Contact our nursery hotline at (715) 424-3700 for up-to-date information on seedling availability and to place an order.

To determine how many seedlings we have available to sell, we sample a portion of our rows, place that data into some formulas and then estimate inventories. Sometimes we underestimate and sometimes we overestimate. Most of the time we are close. We don’t know how accurate we were until the seedlings are lifted out of the fields, graded and counted. This year, we have some species that had much healthier volumes than we anticipated.

Seedlings sold by the Wisconsin State nurseries can only be used for reforestation, wildlife habitat and windbreak and erosion control purposes and must be planted in Wisconsin. Answers to the most common questions are available on our “Frequently Asked Questions” page.

Written by Jeremiah Auer, Regeneration Specialist,  Jeremiah.Auer@wisconsin.gov, (715) 459-1999

Written by Jeremiah Auer, Forest Regeneration Specialist

Spring has arrived, and, in the small southwestern Wisconsin community of Boscobel, the Wilson State Nursery has sprung into action. As soon as the frost leaves, it is the task of these dedicated employees to shake off the cold, start up the tractors and prepare to harvest 2.4 million tree and shrub seedlings for their journey from these fields to pine forests in Brule, wind breaks in Montello, wildlife plots in Merrill, erodible hill sides in Pepin and everywhere in-between. Wisconsin nursery seedlings provide future forest products, wildlife food and habitat, erosion protection and erosion control throughout the state. Continue reading “2019 Spring Awakening” →

The DNR reforestation program still has a few species of tree and shrub seedlings available for sale. Visit our inventory page to see a current tally of stock remaining for the spring 2019 planting season. This page has information about how to place an order. If you have questions or need assistance, contact the Griffith State Nursery at 715-424-3700.