HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The weather is starting to turn cooler in the Valley, which means leaves and acorns will be falling soon.

The Virginia Department of Forestry has announced that they will be collecting nuts to plant in their nurseries this year.

Fallen walnuts, chestnuts, acorns from oak trees, and more can be donated at any D.O.F. office until October 15.

Species Needed
1. Black Oak *
2. Black Walnut *
3. Bur Oak
4. Cherrybark Oak
5. Chestnut Oak *
6. Chinese Chestnut
7. Chinkapin Oak
8. Northern Red Oak
9. Pin Oak
10. Shumard Oak
11. Southern Red Oak
12. Swamp Chestnut Oak
13. Swamp White Oak
14. Water Oak
15. White Oak *
16. Willow Oak
* These species are especially in need

An identification guide from the Department of Forestry can be found here.

The D.O.F grows more than a dozen species of hardwood seedlings at the Augusta Nursery. The seedlings produced are sold to landowners, typically to reforest open lands.

According to the Department of Forestry website, the best time for seed collection is during September and October in most areas of the state. Try to stay away from trees in the forest. It’s often difficult to identify where the seed came from if there are many different species of trees nearby. Look for healthy trees; avoid trees that have bulges or insect infestation, or appear diseased or strangely deformed. If you’d like to participate in seed collection, use the following guidelines:
1. Make sure the tree is correctly identified.
2. Minimize debris (e.g., sticks, leaves, gravel, trash) in the collection bag.
3. Store the acorns or nuts in a bag made of breathable material (e.g., burlap or paper). No plastic bags, please!
4. Make sure each bag of acorns or nuts is labeled with the species, source location and date. Do not mix acorns or nuts from different species in the same bag.
5. Store collected acorns or nuts in a cool area (not a freezer) for no more than 10 days before delivering to a DOF office. If necessary, acorns and nuts may be placed in a refrigerator for a short period of time.
6. Bring the acorns or nuts to the Augusta Nursery or your local DOF office within 7 to 10 days and no later than October 15.

For questions or help with identification, contact your local forester or the Augusta Nursery:
Augusta Nursery
90 Forestry Center Lane, Crimora, VA 24431
(540) 363-7000; Nursery@DOF.Virginia.gov

Find your local DOF office: www.dof.virginia.gov

Offices closest to Harrisonburg are located in Crimora and Woodstock.