Wisconsin is offering its landowners a chance to get dirty and go green. Starting on Monday, the state's Department of Natural Resources began taking orders for native tree and shrub seedlings intended for spring 2026 plantings. So if you've got some land and a penchant for conservation, this might be your call to action.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a longstanding tradition, stretching for more than a century, of supplying quality seedlings for various reforestation efforts across the state. With the trees grown in state nurseries, they are primed for planting in the unique Wisconsin soil and climate. Aimed at improving wildlife habitat, these green additions can also boost property values, fight soil erosion, and up the ante on aesthetics, without even mentioning the future promise of wood products. An informative report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cites DNR reforestation team leader Joe Vande Hey, who suggests that "Planting trees is also a great family activity that involves all ages, providing an educational experience and an opportunity to become more invested in forest stewardship and the environment."
If you're looking to partake, note that the bare minimum order is a batch of 300 trees or shrubs, with further orders made in increments of a hundred per species. For those with smaller plots or specific needs, choices range from 500 shrubs to a thousand tree seedlings, as per the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
As for the biodiversity on offer, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reforestation menu includes a variety of both coniferous and deciduous species. Conifers like white cedar, balsam fir, and various pines sit alongside hardwood options such as birch, maple, and oak. And let's not overlook the shrubs — from highbush cranberry to American plum, they're all on the table. Remembering Wisconsin’s Trillion Trees Pledge, "Any tree seedlings planted will also get Wisconsin closer to its Trillion Trees Pledge of planting 100 million trees across the state by 2030," Vande Hey told the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
