Virginia Department
of Forestry

The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) collects a variety of species of acorns and nuts that can be planted at its Augusta Nursery (Crimora, Va.) to grow into tree seedlings that will become the forests of tomorrow. These seeds will produce next year’s hardwood seedling crop, which will be sold to Virginia’s forestland owners. Seedlings grown from Virginia-grown seed generally produce trees that will best thrive in our state’s climates.

Certain nuts can be difficult to find regionally, and availability can change year to year. At times, one species of tree in a region may produce minimal acorns, while others are abundant. This is why DOF puts out a call-to-action for landowners across the state. The more trees that can be identified for collection, the more nuts can be potentially planted in the nursery.

Virginia landowners interested in sharing their acorns or nuts are asked to review Seeking Acorns and Nuts to Grow Seedlings to learn about the species needed and procedures for collecting acorns and nuts.

Watch: 2025 Annual Acorn and Nut Collection Results

Thank you, Virginia! DOF collected and planted 13 tons of acorns, chestnuts and walnuts this year.

Video Transcript: 2025 Annual Acorn and Nut Collection Results

Thanks to your generous efforts, the Virginia Department of Forestry received an incredible 13 tons of donated acorns, walnuts, and chestnuts. That’s enough to grow roughly 500,000 trees! Last month, we processed all the donations, including float testing acorns and de-hulling walnuts, and we got a lot planted. We’ve now planted most of the donations here at our Augusta Nursery. We plant them, cover them with mulch, and watch them grow in the spring. In one to two years, they look like this, and they’ll be ready to go to a new home. You can buy these seedlings from us at buyvatreees.com. Your purchase helps us run the nursery without taxpayer funds. A sincere thank you to everyone across the Commonwealth who donated their time to our annual collection campaign.

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Additional Resources

Image	Title	ID	Description	Content Type	View	hf:tax:document-category	hf:tax:Media
	Acorn and Nut Identification Guide	FT0060	Forestry topic information sheet helps in identifying the most common acorns and nuts in Virginia to assist in the collection for our nursery.	Publication	View	education nurseries public-information	publication
	Seeking Acorns and Nuts to Grow Seedlings – We Need Your Help	FT0011	Forestry topic information sheet encourages citizens to get involved in the collection of acorns and nuts for propagation at our nursery, including the species needed, how and when to collect, and where to deliver seed.	Publication	View	nurseries	publication

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Contact Us

For more information or questions, or if you need help identifying a tree before you collect the acorns or nuts, e-mail us or use our contact form, or call the Augusta Nursery at (540)363-7000.