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Seedling sales for wildlife
While it might be winter, landowners can begin making plans to help wildlife this spring – and beyond – by planting tree and shrub seedlings offered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Howard Nursery.
The 2016 seedling order form is available online, and sales began this morning.
Most seedlings are sold in units of 25, but 100-seedling bundles also are available in mixes to benefit deer and birds, as well as to improve riparian and winter-thermal habitats.
The 2016 order form contains a wide selection of evergreens, shrubs and fruit- and nut-bearing trees. Most species are native to Pennsylvania, and with the exception of black locust, all of the available hardwoods are grown from seed collected from Pennsylvania sources and processed by Game Commission personnel.
There are many new offerings this year. One of them is Eastern red-cedar, a fast-growing evergreen that produces a berry-like cone that’s used by many birds. A unit of 25 seedlings is available for $8.75.
Chinese chestnut, Douglas-fir and dwarf chinquapin oak seedlings – none of which were offered for sale in 2015 – are back on the 2016 order form.
And also returning is an assorted standard apple pack – a 25-seedling mixture of yellow and red delicious, northern spy, rusty coat, wine sap, Jonathon, McIntosh, Cortland, Rome, Tiedemann and unidentified heavy-producing seedlings. This is the first time since 2012 the bundle has been offered for sale, and it’s priced at $12.50.
Many of the seedlings offered for sale can be purchased at a discounted price.
Although a discount is not offered for all species or habitat bundles, orders of 12 or more total units qualify for applicable discounted pricing. With the discount, prices are as low as $3.75 per unit, or 15 cents per seedling.
Species that qualify for the discount are marked on the order form.
Annetta Ayers, superintendent at Howard Nursery, said there’s a very limited supply of some of the seedlings for sale, wild plum included. Those who are interested might want to call Howard Nursery at 814-355-4434. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Orders can be placed by telephone, as well.
The order form and information about the seedlings for sale will be available at the Game Commission’s website, pgc.state.pa.us. Place your cursor over “General Store” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then scroll down to “Howard Nursery” and select “2016 Seedling Order Form” from the drop-down menu.
If you have problems downloading the order form, you likely need to install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be found by doing an Internet search and downloaded for free.
The order form can be completed and submitted online, or printed out and faxed or mailed. Payment is not due until the order is confirmed by Howard Nursery. For those without Internet access, order forms can be obtained at Game Commission offices or various displays or booths at shows in which the agency participates through the spring or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Howard Nursery, 197 Nursery Road, Howard, PA 16841.
While the order form provides a brief description of the tree species available and their benefits to birds and wildlife, more information is available on the website under “Tree Seedling Index.”
The preferred method of delivery is by United Parcel Service (UPS). Shipping and handling charges do apply.
Orders are shipped only Monday through Wednesday to assure delivery for weekend planting. However, orders also may be picked up in person at the nursery once buyers are notified the order is ready.
Generally, seedlings ship in the month of April.
Outdoor Life recognizes PGC for hunter access
Those of us who rely on public tracts for hunting and other recreation generally cherish that land we use.
With more than 1.5 million acres of state game lands and nearly 3 million acres of state park, state forest and federal ground open to hunting, trapping and other uses by the public – opportunities to enjoy the outdoors exist almost everywhere in Pennsylvania.
But through partnership and hard work, millions of acres of the state’s private lands are open to the public, as well.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Hunter Access program opens to public hunting and trapping opportunities on about 2.6 million privately owned acres.
And the program recently was recognized by Outdoor Life magazine, which named the Game Commission recipient of the Outdoor Life Open Country to be presented during the 2016 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nev.
The award recognizes parties that actively help outdoorsmen face one of their toughest challenges: access to places to shoot, hunt and fish.
Hunter Access Program
The Game Commission’s Hunter Access Program was started in 1936 and is the oldest in the country.
It focuses on providing hunters and trappers with access to land, especially near populated areas, because close-to-home places to hunt with ample game are seen as keys to recruiting and retaining hunters.
“The Game Commission’s interactive online map provides information for hunters to find places to go,” said Mike Pruss, the Game Commission’s private lands chief who oversees the Hunter Access Program. “The 2.6 million acres enrolled in the habitat-focused Hunter-Access Program make up more than one-third of the accessible land open to hunting in Pennsylvania.”
Pruss said many of the recent innovations in our Hunter Access Program have been made possible through partnerships with the USDA-Farm Services Agency and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service with Farm Bill funding awarded to our agency through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program competitive grants program.
Pruss will accept the award on behalf of the Game Commission at the SHOT show on Jan. 20.