Tree Seedlings for Sale at DNR’s John S. Ayton Nursery
ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service has many species of tree seedlings for sale for spring delivery. The seedlings, grown at DNR’s John S. Ayton Forest Tree Nursery on the Eastern Shore, are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis. Loblolly pine, dogwood, green ash, persimmon, and several species of oak are popular choices. These and other species of trees and shrubs are available while supplies last.
Conifers are sold in bundles of 50; deciduous trees are sold in bundles of 100. These trees must be planted in Maryland for a conservation purpose, such as to provide watershed protection, wildlife habitat, buffers, soil protection, windbreaks, forest products, or Christmas trees. Seedlings purchased from the state nursery are not to be used for landscaping or ornamentation.
Planting seedlings is an inexpensive way for landowners to increase the value of their property, establish forest cover and wildlife habitat, and make an investment in forest products for the future. An especially beneficial use of seedlings is to establish forest buffers along tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Buffers filter sediment and pollutants out of runoff, provide food sources and travel corridors for wildlife, and regulate water temperatures by shading streams.
For more information on ordering seedlings and planting trees, call Ayton Nursery at 1-800-TREES-MD, or send an e-mail to seedlingsales@dnr.state.md.us. The Ayton Nursery catalog and a printable order form are available online at www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/nursery. Landowners can also call their local office of the DNR Forest Service for technical advice, for information on reforestation programs, or to contract a tree planting crew.
Posted February 5, 2004