Since 1947, the U.S. Forest Service has been reminding us that “only you can prevent forest fires.” Now, the Florida Forest Service is calling on residents to help the state’s reforestation efforts, and they’re making it easy to participate.
Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service just announced the opening of the online portal where the public can buy tree seedlings.
Seedlings are generally sold in increments of 1,000, but if you need fewer, you can purchase 500 or 250 seedlings.
The website lists the following for sale:
- FFS elite slash pine
- Forest Source Choctawhatchee sand pine
- Bald cypress
- Pond cypress
- Improved first generation longleaf pine
- Forest Source South Florida slash pine
- Improved 1.5 generation Florida loblolly pine
- Wiregrass
The Florida Forest Service produces more than 4 million bare-root pine seedlings each year at the Andrews Nursery in Chiefland. The nursery, which has served a pivotal role in providing seedlings for reforestation efforts for more than six decades, also grows more than 5 million containerized seedlings, including longleaf pine, slash pine, sand pine, and wiregrass.
Availability is first-come, first-served, so your best bet is to get in on the action early.
According to Global Forest Watch, Florida saw a 28% decrease in tree cover from 2001 to 2023.
To learn more about the seedling sale, go to ffsseedlingsales.fdacs.gov, where you can view the current inventory and pricing.
