DNR Now Paying People To Collect Pine Cones In Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department's Reforestation Program grows and sells affordable, native tree and shrub seedlings to landowners for planting on public and private lands in Wisconsin to improve wildlife habitat, prevent erosion, create beauty, sequester carbon, and provide future forest products.

To keep the program running, the DNR purchases seeds from local collectors and residents, growing the seedlings in DNR nurseries, and then ultimately providing them to landholders who can apply for seedlings each year in October for planting the following spring.

Now is the best time to collect red and white pine cones for the program, and the DNR has reached out for the public's help, and they're willing to pay for it.

Wisconsin DNR Needs Help Collecting Red & White Pine Cones

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently announced it needed the public's help collecting red and white pine cones for its reforestation program.

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"The state nurseries will pay collectors to bring in these cones," said Joseph Vande Hey, Wisconsin DNR reforestation team leader at the Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel. "We have a network of seed- and cone-buying stations scattered across the state."

Officials say that early September is the prime time to collect mature red and white pine cones, when the color has just turned brown, but the scales have not yet opened to release the seeds.

How Much Will You Get Paid For Pine Cones?

The DNR says that state nurseries pay $125 per bushel of red pine cones and $70 per bushel of white pine cones.

A bushel is equivalent to about two 5-gallon buckets, and experienced collectors can pick a bushel of red pine cones in about 2 to 3 hours when the cone crop is good. However, white pine cones are larger, so picking a bushel usually takes about an hour.

How To Collect Pine Cones

First, the DNR stresses that before people venture out to collect cones, they should contact one of the following state nurseries to ensure purchasing is still open:

• Griffith Nursery in Wisconsin Rapids: 715-424-3700
• Wilson Nursery in Boscobel: 608-375-4123
  Hayward Nursery in Hayward: 715-492-1204

Also, be sure to check the regulations for your chosen site(s). Many public lands require a permit. On private lands, collectors must get permission from the landowner.

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Collectors should keep the following tip in mind when finding pine cones:

• All seeds must be of natural origin. Trees in your yard are not appropriate for seed harvest.
• When mature, the seeds within will develop a dark brown seed coat with a papery, light brown wing. The perfect time to pick the cones is before the cones open.
• Wear gloves so your hands don’t get covered in sap.
• Picking is easiest and safest for the collector and the tree when done from the ground using handheld landscaping shears.
• A quick snip leaves a small wound on the tree and a clean cone. A collector then just needs to store the cones in a cool, dry area until they can be transported to a seed collection site.
• Do not mistake Austrian or Scotch pine for red or white pine. Scotch pine bark is flaky (especially toward the upper part of the stem) and orange, and its cones appear twisted and green, even at maturity. Austrian pine tends to be found in urban environments, has a stocky appearance, and has darker bark.
• The DNR’s Forest Trees of Wisconsin booklet is a handy tool to help collectors identify red and white pines.

How Do You Sell Collected Pine Cones?

The DNR says the following must be done to sell the red and white pine cones you collect:

• Store the cones in breathable containers in a cool, dry place.
• Deliver the cones to one of the DNR buying stations as soon as possible. If excess debris is mixed in with the cones, they may be rejected, or a price reduction may be applied.

The DNR reserves the right to refuse purchase if the cones don’t meet specifications.