Landowners hoping to support wildlife habitats on their properties can currently purchase trees and shrubs to be planted in the spring from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
The Game Commission’s state land is repopulated each year by seedlings grown at the Howard Nursery, which is located just outside of State College.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has 40 varieties of native plant life including the Black-gum/Black Tupelo, northern red oak, chestnut oak, and pin oak that are available in bundles of 25 seedlings.
Pennsylvania Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau said some bundles are sold by species while others are designed for certain habitats and wildlife.
“If you would have a stream running through your property there would be a packet, or a bundle, of five or six different types of seedlings that would help to preserve that stream bank and help to improve that property and draw birds and wildlife to that area,” he said.
Nearly all of the seedlings being sold are native to Pennsylvania forests.
“Some of what makes Pennsylvania unique to other states and other areas and regions is what we have here as native species, so its sort of a celebration of what we are as Pennsylvania,” Lau said.
According to Lau, the plant life from the Howard Nursery is chosen specifically to support wildlife habitats.
“Most of the seedlings that we sell through this seedling sale that are raised at Howard Nursery have benefits not only for wildlife cover or bird cover but also provide food for those animals.”
Seedlings can be ordered online through the Game Commission website or by phone through April 25.
