Planting Norway pine trees serves a dual purpose: One creates Christmas trees and the other  provides habitat for wildlife. That was the intent of starting a Norway pine nursery in early November 2018 on private property in the Crocker Hills of Wisconsin.

The trees were ordered through the Arbor Day Foundation and arrived as bare root trees. The first image shows the site preparation. Each tree needed three feet of space, so the calculation was to create an area roughly 15′ by 6-7′ to start the 10 trees. Leaves were cleared and holes prepared with some roots needing to be cut. That was the first day and while the site was readied, the roots were separated and allowed to soak for three to six hours in water.

Five steel fence posts were also pounded into the ground to form the wildlife barrier once the trees were planted; a sixth post would be added when planting and mulching was completed.

The next day, chicken wire fencing was attached to four of the fence posts, leaving one of the long sides open to work on the field. Each of the trees was carefully planted in one of the ten holes, dirt filled back in by hand and gently patted down…not packed hard. Water was poured into the indentations after the trees were secure and upright. Once those steps were done, mulch was spread around the trees, the sixth fence post was pounded in, and the rest of the chicken wire was secured to keep animals out.

The goal was to get the trees started, protect them until they can survive on their own, and then replant them in 3-4 years.