Minnesota Climate-Smart Seedling Production Network

The proposed project plans to work with forest owners to grow a set of climate-adapted tree species resilient to the projected climate futures of Minnesota’s Midwest Broadleaf Forest, and monitor and market the climate-smart commodity. Producers would receive a payment for each tree seedling grown, in addition to assistance with start-up costs, provision of wild-collected tree seed, and cooperatively managed shipping and distribution of seedings.

Seedlings produced as part of this pilot would bear a “Climate-Smart” label and would include native trees selected based on their projected climate capability. The project would provide free training opportunities about tree seed collection and seedling production market opportunities, paying a fair, hourly wage for participating tree seed collectors and provide start-up funds for interested producers, but for whom cost would be a barrier to enter the market.