Tree Seedlings for Private Lands

Spring 2026

The 糖心直播 (UTRCA) offers a tree seedling planting program and a large stock tree planting program for landowners with a minimum of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) within the Upper Thames River watershed.

Planting projects include windbreaks, retiring highly erodible land, treed buffer strips along watercourses, and areas of your property where you would like to add diversity and create habitat.

Seedlings purchased through this program may be planted through the UTRCA鈥檚 full planting service (grant eligible) or by the landowner. See below for details on both programs.

Two people are seated on a tree planting machine.

Choose from a variety of coniferous and deciduous trees and wildlife shrubs. Species and quantities are subject to availability from the nurseries — please contact us in the fall for the best selection. While tree survival cannot be guaranteed, the UTRCA takes every precaution to ensure the trees are received in the best condition possible.

Check out the UTRCA Seedling Planting Brochure to learn more!

UTRCA staff visit site, prepare planting plan, plant bare-root seedlings (by hand or machine), and apply two applications of herbicide.

  • Minimum order: 500 seedlings
  • Landowner agrees to maintain trees for minimum 15 years

Planting Costs

  • 300-999 trees – $3/tree (machine or hand planting) + HST
  • 1000-2499 trees – $2.40/tree (machine) or $3/tree (hand planting) + HST
  • >2500 trees – $1.35/tree (machine) or $3/tree (hand planting) + HST

Grants for Landowners

Grants are available to reduce landowner costs.聽Minimum grants for eligible projects are:

  • 300-499 trees – may be eligible for grants, ask staff for details
  • 500-999 trees – minimum 50% off cost of trees and planting
  • 1000-2499 trees – minimum 60% off cost of trees and planting
  • >2500 trees – minimum 80% off cost of trees and planting

Please contact UTRCA staff for more information and to arrange an on site consultation.

Planting Schedule

  • Fall: UTRCA staff visit site and prepare a planting plan
  • Fall: Landowner completes required site preparation and staking
  • January/February: UTRCA invoices landowner; payment is due
  • April/May: UTRCA staff plant seedlings and apply first herbicide application
  • Growing season: Landowner is required to mow between the tree rows 3 to 4 times during the first growing season and to water the trees if there is an extended dry spell
  • September/October: UTRCA staff assess survival
  • Fall or next spring: UTRCA staff apply second herbicide application when conditions are suitable (weather and bare soil)

UTRCA staff provide technical tree planting advice, order the trees, and arrange for shipment to our cold storage facility. Landowners are responsible for picking up their trees from the designated location and planting them.

  • Minimum order: 50 seedlings
  • Trees must be ordered in multiples of 10 per species
  • Cost: $40 administration and shipping and handling fee, plus the cost of the seedlings and taxes

Choose from the following species (subject to availability). Find out more about these species.

Coniferous Trees

  • European Larch 鈥� 2 years old tall, 20 cm+, $1.60/seedling + HST
  • Tamarack 鈥� 2 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.60/seedling + HST
  • Norway Spruce 鈥� 3 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.60/seedling + HST
  • White Spruce 鈥� 3 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.60/seedling + HST
  • White Pine 鈥� 2.5 years old, 15 cm+ tall, $1.60/seedling + HST
  • White Cedar 鈥� 3 years old, 25 cm+ tall, $1.90/seedling + HST
  • Red Cedar – 3 years old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.20/seedling + HST

Deciduous Trees

  • Silver Maple 鈥� 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.95/seedling + HST
  • Sugar Maple – 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Bitternut Hickory – 2 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Shagbark Hickory 鈥� 4 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.40/seedling + HST
  • Hackberry 鈥� 2 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Black Walnut 鈥� 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.95/seedling + HST
  • Sycamore – 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Black Cherry 鈥� 2 years old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.95/seedling + HST
  • White Oak 鈥� 2 years old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Swamp White Oak 鈥� 1 year old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Bur Oak 鈥� 1 year old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Red Oak 鈥� 1 year old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Hybrid Poplar – 1 year old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Cottonwood – 1 year old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST

Wildlife Shrubs

  • Red Osier Dogwood 鈥� 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $2.15/seedling + HST
  • Staghorn Sumac 鈥� 1 year old, 20 cm+ tall, $1.95/seedling + HST
  • Nannyberry 鈥� 3 years old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.65/seedling + HST
  • Highbush Cranberry 鈥� 1 years old, 25 cm+ tall, $2.65/seedling + HST

Proper weed and grass control in the first three years is key to helping newly planted seedling survive. A third application of herbicide is available at $0.40/seedling. Please call UTRCA staff if you are interested in an additional spray.

Contact

Greg Urquhart, Forestry and Restoration Technician (519-451-2800 ext 281)

Rob Davies, Supervisor, Forestry and Restoration (519-451-2800 ext 243)

Brenda Gallagher, Forestry Technician (519-451-2800 ext 260)