DNR accepting seedling orders

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) started accepting seedling orders this past Monday, Oct. 7, from Wisconsin landowners for planting trees and shrubs in spring 2025.

The seedlings are native species appropriate for planting throughout Wisconsin and grown at the F.G. Wilson State Nursery in beautiful Boscobel.

Seedlings grown by the state nurseries are used for reforestation and conservation plantings on private, public and tribal lands. These 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. Any seedlings planted will also get Wisconsin closer to the goal of planting 100 million trees across the state by 2030, a part of the national Trillion Tree Pledge.

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, eastern hemlock, jack, red and white pine, black and white spruce, and tamarack. 

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, highbush cranberry, gray, red-osier and silky dogwood, hawthorn, American hazelnut, Juneberry, ninebark, and American plum.

Some species are limited in supply and high demand is anticipated.

Customers may contact any reforestation staff or a DNR forester who serves their area for personal assistance. This can include reforestation advice or even a planting plan. 

Printed copies of the order form are also available; call a local forester or nursery for details. 

All orders are batched and input into the ordering database every day, at random, regardless of how a customer orders (online, fax, mail, etc.). This process ensures that all customers, whether private landowners, groups, or public land managers, have the same opportunity to get the seedlings they need. 

In years past, phone orders have been accepted. However, with the anticipated order volume and staff limitations, we are not accepting phone orders until Oct. 21.

Customers may create an order using our online form found on the DNR website or by printing the order form, completing it and mailing it to:

Griffith State Nursery

473 Griffith Ave.

Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

In addition to ordering online at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/treeplanting/order, customers can also find information related to current inventory, frequently asked questions, additional tree planting information, and a listing of private nurseries.

For more information, contact the Griffith State Nursery office at 715-424-3700 or Carey.Skerven@wisconsin.gov.