Buckeye State Tree Nursery officially open in Ohio

Zanesville, Ohio — The Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Forestry is distributing the first round of seedlings from the Buckeye State Tree Nursery.

Seedlings will be used for several conservation projects across Ohio this spring. Since its launch in 2024, the Buckeye State Tree Nursery has planted approximately 600,000 seeds.

“My dad knew a lot about trees, and he always said, ‘the best time to plant a tree is now!’” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “We opened the Buckeye State Tree Nursery two years ago, and I look forward to these tree plantings that represent Ohio’s promise and hope of the future coming to life.”

The first conservation project to plant some of these year-old seedlings is the Northwest Ohio Windbreak Program, which is an interagency program that assists landowners in establishing windbreaks on, or adjacent to, crop fields to prevent erosion, protect crops, and provide wildlife habitat.

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Seedlings from the new nursery will also be planted for various conservation projects, including mine reclamation to reduce acid mine drainage along streams, reforestation efforts in wildlife areas, increasing tree cover in Ohio’s state parks, and for H2Ohio projects. Seedlings will also be used to complete ODNR’s commitment to plant 250,000 trees in partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA, with the final planting taking place at Deer Creek Wildlife Area this May.

“The Buckeye State Tree Nursery is a valuable tool that will help us strengthen forest restoration efforts and expand habitat across Ohio,” said Division of Forestry Chief Dan Balser. “We’re excited to begin offering these locally adapted tree seedlings to support projects that deliver real, on-the-ground benefits for landowners and increase forest cover in the state.”

The Buckeye State Tree Nursery’s focus is to cultivate native species from local sources that are adapted to Ohio’s growing conditions for ODNR and partners’ initiatives. Unlike bareroot seedlings, seedlings at the nursery are grown in biodegradable paper plugs. As roots grow, they extend beyond the plug and are air-pruned at the edges. This process encourages the development of a dense, fibrous root system rather than circling roots commonly seen in traditional containers. This method promotes quicker seedling establishment after transplanting.

This plug system also allows for a longer planting window and reduces the potential for root issues when planting.

If members of the public would like to purchase seedlings from the Buckeye State Tree Nursery, the nursery is now accepting tree orders.

Interested parties can reach out via email to BSTNursery@dnr.ohio.gov to receive an order form with available species. A minimum order of 50 trees is required, and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Payments will need to be paid by check.