The North Platte NRD is now taking orders for 2014 conservation trees. Landowners are encouraged to place their orders as soon as possible since trees are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year the NPNRD has changed the amount of trees per bundle. In previous years, trees were available in bundles of 30 or 50, but they are now only available in bundles of 10. The NRD has 24 varieties of two-year-old bare-root conifer, deciduous trees and shrubs plus five varieties of potted trees available. Bare-root trees are 90 cents each and potted trees are $2.00 each. All NRD trees and shrubs are available for conservation purposes only. The District does not sell trees for landscaping purposes.

The NPNRD also offers landowners several services to help get conservation trees established and improve survival rates. These include machine tree planting at 90 cents per tree or hand planting at $1.50 per tree, with a minimum charge of $255. Chemical weed control is available for 30 cents per tree.

NPNRD staff members Roy Lyles and Craig Uhrig are available, free of charge, to help with tree row planning, site preparation and cost-share applications as well as consultation for windbreak design, soil conditions and tree variety selection.

"We can go out, as a service, and take measurements and help with site selections," Lyles said. "We can make recommendations for site selections as far as soil types, conditions and slope. We don't charge extra, that's included in our planting fee."

Last year, the District sold 50,726 conservation trees. The low numbers were due to drought conditions that started in 2012 and continued into 2013. Fall rains and two heavy snows have improved soil conditions which will help the success of tree survivals.

Trees ordered through the NRD are shipped from the nursery and stored in the District's tree coolers until planting time, which begins approximately April 1. Customers can either pick up the trees and plant them, or take advantage of the NRD's tree planting services.

For more information on trees, go to www.nrdtrees.org. NRD staff will also be in Oshkosh at the Oshkosh Farm and Ranch show and Mitchell at the KNEB Farm and Ranch Expo. Tree order and tree planting/spraying request forms and the NRD Tree Planting brochure are available at the NPNRD office at 100547 Airport Road, Scottsbluff or can be viewed and printed from our website http://www.npnrd.org/trees.htm and the completed forms mailed to the NRD. Call the District office at (308) 632-2749 or your USDA-NRCS office in Scottsbluff, Bridgeport or Oshkosh for more information.