GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – The Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD) receives trees and shrubs from Bessey Nursery at Halsey National Forest for their Conservation Tree Program. Although last month’s Bovee Fire burned 19,000 acres, the 4-H Camp and the observation deck, the nursery stock was protected by the sprinkler systems in the nursery’s green houses.

The Central Platte NRD is accepting orders for that nursery stock for spring planting through April 1, 2023. The CPNRD is offering 33 species including 15 shrubs, 11 deciduous/hardwoods and 7 conifers. The seedlings are bare root and 12” to 18” tall. A new conifer offered this year is the Black Hills Spruce, a variety of white spruce that is more drought tolerant and used for landscapes, windbreaks and Christmas trees.

The cost is $1 per tree and sold in bundles of 25, for a minimum order of $25 for 25 trees.  Orders received by December 31st will receive a ten percent discount on trees and shrubs, weed barrier and CPNRD’s tree planting service.

SMALL ACRE PACKAGES
The following small acre packages offered include 50 seedlings for $60, with 10 of each specie.
* Flowering Package:  Serviceberry, Midwest Crabapple, Common Lilac, Red-Osier Dogwood, Caragana
* Wildlife Package:  Chokecherry, American Plum, Elderberry, Golden Currant, Red-Osier Dogwood
* Eastern Nebraska:  Bur Oak, Peking Cotoneaster, Swamp White Oak, Midwest Crabapple, Black Chokeberry * Western Nebraska:  Ponderosa Pine, Rocky Mountain Juniper, Bur Oak, Chokecherry, American Plum

TREE PLANTING SERVICE
A complete tree planting service is available for orders of 200+ trees. Service includes a tree crew with the necessary equipment. The crew will deliver the trees to the landowner at planting time. The cost is $0.45 per tree planted with a minimum charge of $180.

WEED BARRIER FABRIC
CPNRD also offers fabric weed barrier for long-lasting protection against weeds without constant effort and damage to the seedlings or the environment. The black polypropylene fabric has the appearance of tightly woven burlap that allows water and nutrients to absorb into the soil. The material has a minimum service life of five years guaranteed.

The weed barrier is six feet wide and customers are charged $0.50 cent per lineal foot. Sheets of 4’x4’ fabric are available for $1.75 per sheet. Landscape staples are available to stake and secure the fabric into the ground for $0.15 per staple. The CPNRD provides weed barrier installation for orders of 1,000+ linear feet at $0.80 cents per foot.

Fifty percent cost-share is available on orders of 200+ trees and on weed barrier orders.

To learn more call Kelly Cole at (308) 385-6282 or your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Additional details and order forms are available at cpnrd.org/costshare/conservation tree program