Published: November 07, 2009 07:15 pm         

Tree and shrub seedlings are available

Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and Oklahoma Depart-ment of Wildlife Conservation are working together promoting special packages of tree and shrub seedlings selected for wildlife habitat improvement.

Different packages are available to enhance the habitat of deer, songbirds, turkey, quail and other animals. State wildlife and agriculture officials said each packet has 25 trees and shrubs, representing four species chosen specifically to improve the wildlife habitat of a person’s property.

“Planting the appropriate trees can be a great way to enhance wildlife habitat on your property,” said Mike Sams, private lands biologist for the ODWC. “Planting a tree today can be a long-term investment for future generations.”

Oklahoma grown seed-lings are available to landowners for a broad range of conservation projects. Landowners use the trees for windbreaks to protect crops and livestock, timber production, water quality protection, erosion control or other natural resource projects such as firewood plantings and Christmas tree production.

“Now is the time to begin thinking about planting seedlings and foresters from ODAFF are available to assist you,” according to State Forester John Burwell. “Oklahoma’s seedling plan-ting season runs from December through early April and fall is the best time to prepare the planting site to make the planting job easier.”

New for 2009 is an on-line store where landowners can go to purchase their wildlife habitat improvement packages, as well as choosing from over 35 species of trees and shrubs. Seedlings are 1 year old, bare-root and each species packaged in multiples of 50 with a minimum order of 100 trees.

They are to be used in rural conservation plantings and cannot be used for ornamental plantings or resold as living trees.

Anyone interested in the seedlings are encouraged to visit www.forestry.ok.gov as soon as possible as orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The seedlings will be available for pickup or shipment starting in early January, but orders are being taken now via the on-line store. Paper order forms can be requested by contacting the Forest Regeneration Center at (800) 517-FOREST.