COLUMBUS, OH -- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry will begin taking orders for tree seedling sales on October 1. ODNR is the largest producer of tree seedlings in the state, each year selling more than 5,000,000 trees.
State foresters are encouraging Ohioans to plan ahead for any tree-planting activities they might be doing next spring, when the seedlings will be lifted from the states tree nurseries in Zanesville and Marietta for distribution.
Seedlings are sold each year by ODNR for use in reforestation, wildlife habitat development, erosion control, windbreaks and other conservation projects. The seedlings are also used for the states Field Windbreak Program, which set a new record this spring with 104 miles of trees planted to protect farmland soil from wind erosion.
More than 50 varieties of trees are available, including white pine, green ash, sweetgum, white oak, red oak, black walnut and bald cypress. The trees, available in groups of 25, are one to two years old and bare rooted. A minimum order of 100 trees is required.
Species selection and availability are best in the fall. Some species are in short supply and sell out early such as burr oak, butternut, hazelnut and sycamore.
Ohio is now more than 30 percent forested, compared to just 12 percent forested in the early 1900s. In the past 80 years, the Division of Forestry has planted more than 500,000,000 trees for reforestation efforts in the state.
Selecting the proper type of tree for a particular location and soil characteristic is essential for a successful planting. The ODNR Division of Forestrys service foresters are available to help landowners in choosing the right trees for their particular objectives. This assistance is especially recommended for plantings in excess of one acre.
For specific information about the availability of various tree species and their prices, or for a list of service forester office locations (by county) and telephone numbers, contact the ODNR Division of Forestry toll free at 1-877-691-8733 or on the Internet at www.dnr.state.oh.us
In the past 80 years, the ODNR Division of Forestry has acquired more than 184,000 acres of primarily unforested lands throughout Ohio -- restoring them once again as forests. Virtually all properties acquired by the Division of Forestry over the years were either abused farmlands with no forest cover, abandoned strip mine lands or severely cut-over and neglected woodlands. Now restored by state foresters as productive forests, these lands are managed for a multitude of benefits, including watershed protection, back country recreation, wildlife habitat and timber production.