The Missouri Department of Conservation's St. Joseph office is purchasing native tree and shrub fruits and seeds from the public to support statewide forest regeneration efforts.
The department is seeking black cherry, butternut, chinkapin oak, deciduous holly, hazelnut, Kentucky coffee, mixed hickory, Ohio buckeye, pawpaw, persimmon, pin oak, post oak, red buckeye, shellbark hickory, wild plum and white oak.
The MDC is providing plastic bags, onion bags and labels at no cost to collectors to help with sorting and identification. Each bag should be labeled with the fruit or seed species and the seller's contact information.
Collected seeds will be sent to the George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking, where they will be used to grow seedlings for conservation and reforestation projects.
A special use permit is required to collect fruits and seeds on Missouri Department of Conservation areas. More information about permits is available at mdc.mo.gov/permits/special-use-permits.