WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) – Your wallet might get a boost this fall thanks to the Wisconsin DNR’s request for assistance with their reforestation program.
According to a press release, the DNR is looking to restock their seed supply at their nurseries in Boscobel and Wisconsin Rapids. They are mainly looking to purchase bushels of red pine cones.
For red pine cones that are properly collected, the DNR will pay $125 per bushel. They need to purchase 120 bushels to get a year’s worth of seeds because a bushel usually yields around half a pound of viable seeds.
Early September is the best time to harvest them, as they transition from green to purplish brown and acquire reddish-brown tips.
The mature cones, just beginning to turn brown but before the scales open to release the seeds, are what the DNR is searching for. In southern and central Wisconsin, they have reached maturity, and in northern Wisconsin, they are largely prepared for collection.
The DNR says that the cones need to be of natural origin and separated and labeled by county. They also stated that once the cones are collected, they should be stored in a cool, dry area to limit mold growth or cone opening.
The cones should also be stored and delivered to a DNR buying station in breathable containers.
Comments