Low cost tree, shrub seedlings for sale by Kansas Forest Service

The Kansas Forest Service is taking orders for the low-cost tree and shrub seedlings it offers yearly through the KFS Conservation Tree Planting Program and is targeting Kansans who've bought homes with large lots, as well as the state's farmers.

Shipping will start next week as seedlings have better odds if they get in the ground by late March-early April.

Approved uses for the plants now include creating barriers to reduce noise pollution, block ugly views, mark property lines, reduce wind velocity, and/or create habitat for songbirds. The traditional conservation uses are more rural in nature: home or livestock windbreaks, living snow fences, Christmas tree plantations, firewood lots, and habitats for game bird or other wildlife.

"Times have changed," Joshua Pease, KFS conservation forester said. "Many new homes are going up on small-acre lots that used to be crop land. Their owners are quickly finding they have many of the same issues we used to associate only with large farms, but on a smaller scale. Of course, landowners mostly see the needed plantings as a matter of improving their new quality of living. But, those plantings can help conserve natural resources, too. Even though a single landowner may only own an acre or two, collectively these small acre landowners comprise large amounts of land. By working together, we can have a tremendous impact on the environment."

Prior to human interruption, Kansas's creeks and rivers had quite a diversity of trees and shrubs along their corridors. These riparian areas stabilized the riverbanks and also stabilized the soil throughout the floodplain acreage bordering their paths. The result was clean, clear water; excellent wildlife habitat; and a diversely balanced ecosystem.

Now, with the increased amount of farm land compared to hundreds of years ago, those riparian areas are disturbed and it is important to have riparian buffer areas to mimic the areas which used to stabilize the area.

"As an example, a study Kansas State University Research and Extension conducted after the floods of 1993 showed -- without argument -- that farmlands with shrubs and trees planted along their waterways suffered far less impact than those without trees and shrubs. Farms with no permanent plantings not only lost tons of topsoil but also had little to no protection from the flood's damaging silt and debris."

While grass waterways help prevent soil erosion, they do little to slow the water down during high water. The water lays the grass flat to the ground, and runs over it like concrete. However, if trees and shrubs are present, the water is forced to twist and turn around the plants causing reduced flow rate.

The program offers more than 30 species, selected for hardiness in the central High Plains. The plants are 1 to 2 years old; most are bare-root stock, 12-18 inches tall, depending on species. Special offerings include four types of mixed- species bundles, meant to benefit wildlife -- the songbird, pheasant (western Kansas), quail (eastern Kansas) and wildlife mast (nut-producing) bundles. All other plants come in one-species bundles of 25.

Order forms and more information are available at the Bourbon County Extension Office or on the Web at http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/.

Editor's Note: Delta George is a K-State Research and Extension agriculture and 4-H extension agent assigned to Bourbon County. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720.