Success with tree plantings for conservation purposes like wildlife habitat, re-establishing forest areas, controlling erosion, creating windbreaks or riparian buffers, or future timber products involves prior planning and preparation before the first tree is planted. Here are some steps to take to improve your chances of success.
- Get Help! Contact a professional forester for guidance. This could be your state forestry agency or private sector foresters. In Indiana, you may contact the Division of Forestry or use the Find an Indiana Forester website. For other states, contact your state forestry agency.
- Make a plan. The forester can assist you with outlining your goals for the planting, your site conditions and the steps you need to take to select, order, plant and care for the trees.
- Select the appropriate species. Tree and shrub species to plant are selected based on the conditions of your planting site and your objectives for the planting. Soil info can be obtained from the Web Soil Survey.
- Design the planting. Deciding on spacing, species mix, arrangement, access lanes and row orientation are decisions you can make with your forester, based on your objectives.
- Prepare the planting site. Weed competition on the site is easiest to control before planting. Management practices to address soil compaction, pH and soil fertility are also best done prior to planting. Planting a cover crop may also be advantageous for erosion protection or weed suppression. These are all activities that can be done in the late summer or fall before planting.
- Obtain quality seedlings. Tree and shrub seedlings may be available from public and private nurseries. Your forester and the Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetic Resources website can provide referrals to nurseries. For
seedlings from the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center you can contact Tree Pro or order from the IDNR State Tree Nurseries (Indiana landowners). Conservation plantings are normally done with bareroot or containerized seedlings ordered in the fall and planted in the spring. - Care for the seedlings. Keep seedlings cool and moist until planting and plant as soon as possible after pickup or delivery.
- Plant the seedlings. Most bareroot seedlings are planted in spring. Planting at a proper depth and sealing the planting hole to prevent drying out roots improves survival and growth.
- Post-planting care. Weed control near the seedlings and protection from animals like deer or livestock are two important maintenance practices to help seedlings become established.
- You might be eligible for a tax break! If you planted at least one acre for timber production purposes, you may be able to deduct up to $10, 000 of planting expenses on that year’s tax return. Find out more at the National Timber Tax website.
Find out more at:
Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center Landowner Information
Planting Forest Trees and Shrubs in Indiana
Site Preparation and Competition Control Guidelines for Hardwood Tree Plantings
Reforestation, Nurseries, & Genetics Resources
Contact the USDA Service Center in your area for questions about conservation incentive programs.
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources Extension