NORTH FORK – The Bass Lake Ranger District is set to begin the 2017 reforestation program, and will have seedlings for you to adopt.
During the next two months, contract and Forest Service crews will be planting approximately 235 acres with up to 70,000 seedlings addressing areas impacted by the 2014 French and Courtney Fires. Approximately 250 to 350 seedlings per acre will be planted, and openings will be planted with a mixture of ponderosa pine and sugar pine trees.
Foothill residents in the North Fork / Oakhurst/ Mariposa area can become participants in the spring planting program by planting ponderosa pine seedlings on their property.
The Bass Lake Ranger District North Fork office is planning to have bare root one-year old ponderosa pine seedlings available for adoption. These seedlings are excess to district reforestation needs and the amount available for adoption is usually in the low hundreds.
Persons wishing to adopt seedlings may obtain up 10 at the Sierra National Forest’s Bass Lake Ranger District office in North Fork, Calif., starting on Thursday, Apr. 6.
“By extending this seedling planting program across property boundaries, we are assured the proper seed stock is planted in the area forests,” said Mike Nolen of the Bass Lake Ranger District. “There has been a strong public response to this program in the past to add trees or to replace ones that have died, people are passionate about their forest.”
To minimize moisture and heat stress, seedlings should be transported in an ice chest with the roots covered with a moist towel and planted the same day, when possible. Instructions on how to plant the seedlings will be included with your pick up. These seedlings are meant to be planted on private property.
Seedlings are grown from seed picked a number of years in advance by the Forest Service, and stored at Forest Service nurseries. In order to accomplish reforestation objectives, seedlings must be ordered one to two years in advance of planting.
Many of the trees being planted were grown at the Placerville nursery. The blister rust resistant sugar pine being planted is grown as one-year old containerized stock. These seedlings are grown in tubes measuring about 1” by 6” in green houses. Go Green! Plant a seedling today!
The Bass Lake Ranger District office is located at 57003 Road 225 in North Fork, and is open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information on seedling adoption, please contact the North Fork office at (559) 877-2218.
Follow the Sierra National Forest on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SierraNF and Like the Sierra National Forest on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SierraNF. Visit the website at www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
