Grow Young Oak Forests

Select Page

Buckets filled with acorns are lined up on grassy ground. The acorns are abundant, and one bucket also contains a single green fruit or object on top. The setting appears outdoors, with sunlight casting shadows.
Hands holding a sprouting plant with roots exposed, showing a seed and small stem. The background includes leafy green plants and a greenhouse structure.
A group of people stands amidst colorful autumn foliage in front of a greenhouse. Some wear green T-shirts. The background features trees and a clear blue sky.

Oak dominated forests support the most life of any forest type found in Minnesota. Unfortunately, they are also our most challenging forest type to regenerate because of high deer populations and aggressive understory vegetation. For decades we have been working to ensure that oaks are still a component of this forest for future generations. We have begun our own Abbey Forest Nursery program that produces seedlings with strong root systems and increased height to get above the deer browsing and understory competition quickly.

A person wearing a hat, glasses, and a gray hoodie stands in a workshop holding a small tree with roots. The room has stacks of uprooted saplings and hay bales against wooden walls. The floor is covered in dirt.
A young tree with reddish-brown leaves is protected by a wire fence in a grassy field. The sky is clear and blue, with tall grass surrounding the tree. Trees with autumn foliage are visible in the background.