Salida District
Seedling Tree Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) seedling tree program enables farmers, ranchers and rural landowners to buy seedling trees at nominal cost. The program is designed to encourage landowners to plant effective wind barriers to protect buildings, cropland and feedlots, help prevent erosion, enhance wildlife habitat, promote reforestation, and assist with the development of Christmas tree plantations.
2012 Seedling Tree Order Information
To participate, landowners must have at least two acres of land and must agree not to use the seedling trees for ornamental or landscaping purposes. Please contact your local nursery for your ornamental needs. The seedling trees cannot be resold as living plants (the roots must be severed).
We are currently accepting tree seedling applications for Spring 2012 delivery.
Place your order as soon as possible since the CSFS nursery has limited supplies of some species that may sell out early.
Please call our district office at (719) 539-2579 before you place your order to be sure the desired seedlings are still in stock.
The above seedling order form is only intended to be used by people living in the Salida District (comprising Chaffee and Lake counties). If you live outside of the district, please direct your attention to the Nursery Seedling Cooperators page.
Seedling tree survival products also are available and can greatly increase survival rates. For an additional fee, the Salida District offers planting plan preparation, planting and product installation.
We cannot take seedling tree orders online. Please download and print the order form and mail your order with payment to: Salida District, Colorado State Forest Service, 7980 West Hwy 50, Salida, Colorado 81201.
All seedlings are grown in our nursery in Fort Collins and are delivered to our office for distribution. For lower elevation landowners living in Chaffee County, tree seedling delivery is in early April. For higher elevation landowners in Lake County, tree seedling delivery is in early May.
Trees for Conservation: A Buyers Guide (1.8 MB PDF) is available online or at the Salida District Office. This publication provides useful information about growth form, crown density, size, drought resistance, cold hardiness, growth rate, life span, elevational range, soil conditions, possible insect and disease problems, wildlife value, seasonal color and other information.
The information also has been condensed and combined with additional facts into an easy-to-use Species Suitability Guide for Colorado (55 KB PDF).
For in-depth information on species in these publications, visit the USDA Plants Database website. You can search this database using either scientific or common names.
Assistance with seedling selection and site planning is available directly from CSFS personnel. Planting trees and shrubs in Upper Arkansas River Valley region takes special care.
Call the Salida District Office at (719) 530-2579 to inquire about an on-site visit from one of our foresters.
For more information, visit the Colorado State Forest Service Nursery.