The Superior National Forest is again buying jack pine cones from the public and this year is asking for black spruce cones as well.
Cones, used for seed in reforestation efforts, will be accepted through Dec. 20. Cone sellers are required to call ahead before bringing the cones in.
The Forest Service pays $60 per bushel for jack pine cones and $120 per bushel for the smaller black spruce cones. Collectors can earn up to $2,500 each. Online preregistration is required to sell to the Forest Service.
The Superior National Forest long-term management plan calls for increasing the amount of jack pine and black spruce across the landscape, and the forest's nursery has been unable to keep up with the seed needed, said Mary Shed, natural resources team leader for the forest.
Last year was the first year in nearly two decades the Superior National Forest had tried the public cone-gathering request, and organizers were shocked by how many people wanted to take part.
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"We were overwhelmed by the interest we got last year from people who wanted to do this," Shed said. "But the actual amount of cones we got was about right. It was all we could afford to buy with our budget. ... They are probably germinating as we speak right now, and those are the trees we are going to plant across the forest."
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