Minnesota DNR to Plant Nearly 2 Million Tree Seedlings Across State Forests This Spring

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on April 26, 2026, that it would plant nearly 2 million tree seedlings on DNR-managed forest land across the state in spring 2026. Planting targets sites required by statutory reforestation mandates for each harvested acre, plus areas affected by natural disturbances including windstorms and wildfires. Crews can plant the full 2 million seedlings by hand within approximately one month; additional seedlings are sown via aerial and direct seeding on difficult-to-access terrain. The DNR reforests approximately 7,500 acres annually using combined seeding and planting methods. The spring 2026 campaign is part of Minnesota's sustained commitment to maintaining forest cover in the Great Lakes states amid rising wildfire and wind-damage pressures linked to climate change.