About Us

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) has been growing tree and shrub seedlings for use on private, public and industry lands for more than 90 years. Pine and hardwood seed is sown and seedlings are visually inspected, harvested, hand-graded, labeled and packaged for delivery.

Many of our hardwood species are grown from acorns and seeds collected by volunteers and donated to our nurseries. Virginia-grown seed generally produces trees that will grow well in our state. Learn how you can help with seed collection.

Portions of the land and the physical facilities at the nurseries are used to educate and inform the public and for research by state and private universities.

Established nature trails provide an excellent outdoor learning opportunity for school groups to supplement the science curriculum and for kids to study nature.

Augusta Forestry Center

The center is located in Augusta County on 178 acres adjacent to the South River. More than 40 species of Virginia hardwoods and softwoods are grown in seedbeds covering 100 acres. Find the Augusta Forestry Center online.

This center handles the Department's catalog order program, which offers tree seedlings, specialty seedling packs and seed mixtures.

Garland Gray Forestry Center

The center is located next to the Nottoway River, which provides irrigation for 80 acres of loblolly pine seed beds. The sandy soils at this nursery are ideal for pine seedling production. Find the Garland Gray Forestry Center online.

Loblolly pine seedlings produced here are the result of rigorous Tree Improvement Program (TIP) testing and are proven high performers for Virginia conditions. A 213-acre tree seedling nursery was established within the boundaries of the Garland Gray Forestry Center in 1984.

Garland Gray Forestry Center has state-of-the-art harvesting equipment and a first-class grading, packaging and cold storage facility for preparing the loblolly tree seedlings for shipment.

Enabling Legislation

This activity is mandated by Title 10.1 - 1114 of the Code of Virginia.

Title 10, Subtitle 2, Chapter 11, Section 10.1-1114 of the Virginia Code. As a direct means of re-establishing forests on lands in Virginia, the Department of Forestry, hereafter referred to as the Department, grows tree seedlings for sale at cost to private and public landowners for foresting lands in Virginia.