Collecting Cones and Sowing Seeds of Stewardship on State Trust Lands
GREENOUGH, Mont. — A recent cone collection project provided benefits to both students and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). DNRC‘s Clearwater Unit worked with students from the Potomac Valley 4-H club to collect cones from several parcels of state trust lands. The seeds from the cones will be processed, stored and eventually used to grow seedlings to replant the local forest.
“This effort is important because, until recently, much of our seed stock was collected in the 1980’s and had poor germination rates when tested,” explained Melissa Laskos, a management forester at DNRC’s Clearwater Unit.
This year, 10 students from Potomac Valley 4-H, between the ages of 8 and 15 , along with parents and DNRC personnel, collected western larch and ponderosa pine cones from a state trust land parcel in the Elk Creek area. Once collected, the cones are brought to a nursery in Idaho where the seed is extracted and cleaned before being sent back to DNRC for storage until it is used to grow seedlings for reforestation activities on state trust lands. This year, the group collected seven bushels of western larch cones and five bushels of ponderosa pine cones, which equates to about 96 gallons of cones.
Harvesting cones is time sensitive and can require a lot of staff time or contracted work. Rather than contracting out the work, this project serves as a fundraising opportunity for the 4-H club, while also providing needed seed collection for DNRC. The 4-H club was paid by the bushel for the cones they collected.
“I think they like the freedom of being outdoors,” said Potomac Valley 4-H leader Leigh Kelley. “It becomes a social event where they’re making money for the club.”
The event also serves as a hands-on learning experience in forest stewardship. The kids had the chance to participate in an essential forest management activity that helps to maintain resilient forests. Healthy timber stands on state trust lands support K-12 education through revenue generated from sustainable timber harvesting. They gained practical insight into how cones collected from their local forest contribute to reforestation efforts while enjoying a day in their local state forest.
“Having us try to pick them in the timeframe is just not feasible, so we really thank them for doing this important work for our potential future planting,” explained Craig Nelson, DNRC Clearwater Unit supervisory forester.
DNRC personnel picked an additional 14 bushels of cones throughout the week that were not included in the fundraiser. Added to the cones collected by the 4-H club, this could result in as many as 400,000 seeds. In 2022, a major cone collection project over five different state trust land sites produced more than 900,000 seeds and potential seedlings for future use.
Trees are genetically adapted to local habitats and elevations, planting trees grown from seeds collected from similar environments increases the likelihood of survival and establishment, promoting long-term regeneration success. These efforts are essential for replenishing the seed banks to grow new seedlings for future forests and generations to come.
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