ALCS

Appalachian Land & Conservation Services Co., LLC

Where Conservation & the Marketplace Meet

ALCS Marks Twentieth Fall of Planting Fruit and Nut Trees

October 3, 2023

The Fall of 2023 marks the twentieth year that Appalachian Land & Conservation Services (ALCS) has planted a lot of fruit and nut tree seeds, as well as rare and uncommon native wildflowers.

“I can’t easily describe what a happy feeling I get from planting fruit and nut tree seeds, as well as rare and uncommon wildflowers,” says ALCS president Josh First. “I feel like a 21st century Johnny Appleseed, or a gentle green commando, because I am slipping oak acorns and hickory nuts I collect from Upstate New York into fertile Pennsylvania mountainsides, and trillium seeds from a hundred miles north into delicate Pennsylvania ecosystems where trilliums once thrived, but which were eliminated by deer over-browsing. Friends, family, and colleagues get into it, too, because they know it is such a small and easy act that has such important results within our lifetimes.”

Below are some photos of the various fruit and nut tree seeds, and wildflower seeds, that ALCS plants across its service territory in central Pennsylvania. ALCS encourages everyone to set aside some apple cores, pear cores, cherry pits, peach pits, oak acorns or hickory seeds throughout the late summer, and then go out on a nice Fall day and plant them under an inch of dirt in a spot that will get good sunlight. Make sure you have the permission of the landowner, and that your seeds are planted in locations where they are not going to be mowed or eaten by livestock. Recently logged forests and the farthest edges of utility rights of way are good locations.

“All wildlife benefit from increased fruit and nut trees, and biodiversity thrives when native plants are restored to their former ecosystems,” says First.
Cherry pits from summertime treats can be saved and then scattered across a timber harvest area, or carefully planted in a spot with open sunlight. Think of the value of some fruit cherry trees growing in the wild!

Cherry pits from summertime treats can be saved and then scattered across a timber harvest area, or carefully planted in a spot with open sunlight. Think of the value of some fruit cherry trees growing in the wild!
About three gallons of peach pits, on their way to being scattered across a large area where timber has been cut and the sunshine is strong on the ground. Our family harvests enough peaches each year to produce about a hundred pounds of sliced peaches, which we eat frozen and cook with all year long. Planting fruit trees for the future is actually easy: Just save the pits, cores, and seeds, and then find useful places to put them!

About three gallons of peach pits, on their way to being scattered across a large area where timber has been cut and the sunshine is strong on the ground. Our family harvests enough peaches each year to produce about a hundred pounds of sliced peaches, which we eat frozen and cook with all year long. Planting fruit trees for the future is actually easy: Just save the pits, cores, and seeds, and then find useful places to put them!
We harvested about a hundred pounds of Bartlett pears this summer from a friend’s tree. We make dried fruit and pie filling with the pears, and then plant or scatter the resulting cores in places where a few wild fruit trees would be a big help to local wildlife.

We harvested about a hundred pounds of Bartlett pears this summer from a friend’s tree. We make dried fruit and pie filling with the pears, and then plant or scatter the resulting cores in places where a few wild fruit trees would be a big help to local wildlife.
10 acres of fencing was installed on this Tree Farm.

10 acres of fencing was installed on this Tree Farm.
The 8-foot fencing helps provide native hardwoods for nesting bird habitat.

The 8-foot fencing helps provide native hardwoods for nesting bird habitat.
BASH Contracting, Inc. of PA installed the fencing.

BASH Contracting, Inc. of PA installed the fencing.
White baneberry, an occasional to rare native wildflower that is striking to encounter in the wild. Planting its seeds somewhere new is easy, and can bring a surprised smile to someone’s face when they encounter it for the first time.

White baneberry, an occasional to rare native wildflower that is striking to encounter in the wild. Planting its seeds somewhere new is easy, and can bring a surprised smile to someone’s face when they encounter it for the first time.

Assorted rare and uncommon wildflower seeds, including blue cohosh, three types of trillium, woods sorrel, twinleaf, jack in the pulpit, and others. All of these have been carefully harvested from remote wild populations to be transplanted to areas where they used to grow, but have been excluded by destructive deer browsing.

Assorted rare and uncommon wildflower seeds, including blue cohosh, three types of trillium, woods sorrel, twinleaf, jack in the pulpit, and others. All of these have been carefully harvested from remote wild populations to be transplanted to areas where they used to grow, but have been excluded by destructive deer browsing.
Acorns from various oak species, hickory, and spicebush seeds harvested in upstate New York and transplanted in northcentral Pennsylvania. Taking native seeds and nuts from one area and planting in another far away place helps with biodiversity and genetic diversity, both essential to healthy native ecosystems.

Acorns from various oak species, hickory, and spicebush seeds harvested in upstate New York and transplanted in northcentral Pennsylvania. Taking native seeds and nuts from one area and planting in another far away place helps with biodiversity and genetic diversity, both essential to healthy native ecosystems.
Flemish Down Topography

Flemish Down Topography
Flemish Down Topography

Flemish Down Topography
(L-R): Anna Yelk, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, Josh First, ALCS, Annette Alger Cameron Blum and Mike Blum, Flemish Down.

(L-R): Anna Yelk, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, Josh First, ALCS, Annette Alger Cameron Blum and Mike Blum, Flemish Down.
Cherry pits from summertime treats can be saved and then scattered across a timber harvest area, or carefully planted in a spot with open sunlight. Think of the value of some fruit cherry trees growing in the wild!

Cherry pits from summertime treats can be saved and then scattered across a timber harvest area, or carefully planted in a spot with open sunlight. Think of the value of some fruit cherry trees growing in the wild!
About three gallons of peach pits, on their way to being scattered across a large area where timber has been cut and the sunshine is strong on the ground. Our family harvests enough peaches each year to produce about a hundred pounds of sliced peaches, which we eat frozen and cook with all year long. Planting fruit trees for the future is actually easy: Just save the pits, cores, and seeds, and then find useful places to put them!

About three gallons of peach pits, on their way to being scattered across a large area where timber has been cut and the sunshine is strong on the ground. Our family harvests enough peaches each year to produce about a hundred pounds of sliced peaches, which we eat frozen and cook with all year long. Planting fruit trees for the future is actually easy: Just save the pits, cores, and seeds, and then find useful places to put them!
We harvested about a hundred pounds of Bartlett pears this summer from a friend’s tree. We make dried fruit and pie filling with the pears, and then plant or scatter the resulting cores in places where a few wild fruit trees would be a big help to local wildlife.

We harvested about a hundred pounds of Bartlett pears this summer from a friend’s tree. We make dried fruit and pie filling with the pears, and then plant or scatter the resulting cores in places where a few wild fruit trees would be a big help to local wildlife.
More rare to uncommon native wildflower seeds harvested for transplant into areas that used to host these beautiful plants.

More rare to uncommon native wildflower seeds harvested for transplant into areas that used to host these beautiful plants.
About five gallons of Chinese chestnuts, harvested from several urban and suburban trees. These will be planted in several places across northcentral and southcentral Pennsylvania. Before the American chestnut blight in 1912, Chestnuts were once the largest source of wild nut food in the American northeast for both animals and people. It is important to directly plant these to help bring genetic diversity back to the native northeastern woods, as well as abundant sources of natural food.

About five gallons of Chinese chestnuts, harvested from several urban and suburban trees. These will be planted in several places across northcentral and southcentral Pennsylvania. Before the American chestnut blight in 1912, Chestnuts were once the largest source of wild nut food in the American northeast for both animals and people. It is important to directly plant these to help bring genetic diversity back to the native northeastern woods, as well as abundant sources of natural food.
Chinese chestnuts growing wild in the woods are often the only opportunity that the rare native American chestnut trees have to pollinate and thereby pass on their genes. Planting these correctly takes more time than broadcasting seeds by hand, but not much. The rewards of wild growing fruit and nut trees are many. Won’t you take a few minutes to plant some yourself? Maybe while walking or hunting in the woods.

Chinese chestnuts growing wild in the woods are often the only opportunity that the rare native American chestnut trees have to pollinate and thereby pass on their genes. Planting these correctly takes more time than broadcasting seeds by hand, but not much. The rewards of wild growing fruit and nut trees are many. Won’t you take a few minutes to plant some yourself? Maybe while walking or hunting in the woods.

Flemish Down Topography

Flemish Down Topography
Flemish Down Topography

Flemish Down Topography
(L-R): Anna Yelk, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, Josh First, ALCS, Annette Alger Cameron Blum and Mike Blum, Flemish Down.

(L-R): Anna Yelk, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, Josh First, ALCS, Annette Alger Cameron Blum and Mike Blum, Flemish Down.
White baneberry, an occasional to rare native wildflower that is striking to encounter in the wild. Planting its seeds somewhere new is easy, and can bring a surprised smile to someone’s face when they encounter it for the first time.

White baneberry, an occasional to rare native wildflower that is striking to encounter in the wild. Planting its seeds somewhere new is easy, and can bring a surprised smile to someone’s face when they encounter it for the first time.

Assorted rare and uncommon wildflower seeds, including blue cohosh, three types of trillium, woods sorrel, twinleaf, jack in the pulpit, and others. All of these have been carefully harvested from remote wild populations to be transplanted to areas where they used to grow, but have been excluded by destructive deer browsing.

Assorted rare and uncommon wildflower seeds, including blue cohosh, three types of trillium, woods sorrel, twinleaf, jack in the pulpit, and others. All of these have been carefully harvested from remote wild populations to be transplanted to areas where they used to grow, but have been excluded by destructive deer browsing.
Acorns from various oak species, hickory, and spicebush seeds harvested in upstate New York and transplanted in northcentral Pennsylvania. Taking native seeds and nuts from one area and planting in another far away place helps with biodiversity and genetic diversity, both essential to healthy native ecosystems.

Acorns from various oak species, hickory, and spicebush seeds harvested in upstate New York and transplanted in northcentral Pennsylvania. Taking native seeds and nuts from one area and planting in another far away place helps with biodiversity and genetic diversity, both essential to healthy native ecosystems.
More rare to uncommon native wildflower seeds harvested for transplant into areas that used to host these beautiful plants.

More rare to uncommon native wildflower seeds harvested for transplant into areas that used to host these beautiful plants.
About five gallons of Chinese chestnuts, harvested from several urban and suburban trees. These will be planted in several places across northcentral and southcentral Pennsylvania. Before the American chestnut blight in 1912, Chestnuts were once the largest source of wild nut food in the American northeast for both animals and people. It is important to directly plant these to help bring genetic diversity back to the native northeastern woods, as well as abundant sources of natural food.

About five gallons of Chinese chestnuts, harvested from several urban and suburban trees. These will be planted in several places across northcentral and southcentral Pennsylvania. Before the American chestnut blight in 1912, Chestnuts were once the largest source of wild nut food in the American northeast for both animals and people. It is important to directly plant these to help bring genetic diversity back to the native northeastern woods, as well as abundant sources of natural food.
Chinese chestnuts growing wild in the woods are often the only opportunity that the rare native American chestnut trees have to pollinate and thereby pass on their genes. Planting these correctly takes more time than broadcasting seeds by hand, but not much. The rewards of wild growing fruit and nut trees are many. Won’t you take a few minutes to plant some yourself? Maybe while walking or hunting in the woods.

Chinese chestnuts growing wild in the woods are often the only opportunity that the rare native American chestnut trees have to pollinate and thereby pass on their genes. Planting these correctly takes more time than broadcasting seeds by hand, but not much. The rewards of wild growing fruit and nut trees are many. Won’t you take a few minutes to plant some yourself? Maybe while walking or hunting in the woods.

Need More Information?

Our Location

Contact Us

 

Appalachian is a small, nimble firm specializing in real estate projects that yield high returns in conservation value.  We are particular about the projects we work on, and are always open to new ideas.  Sometimes the most unlikely ideas work out the best!

 

Visits by appointment only.

 

To contact us:

 

Appalachian Land & Conservation Services Co., LLC

P.O. Box 5128

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: (717) 232-8335

E-mail: josh@appalachianland.us