Acorn-gathering time is a fun fall activity for all

Now that fall has arrived, blue jays and squirrels are not the only creatures searching for acorns to store for the winter.

Foresters and staff at the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) are gathering and sorting this year’s acorn crop in preparation for growing the next generation of trees, and they want your help.

Every year, Virginians collect and donate acorns and other seeds that VDOF staff plant at a nursery in Augusta County, where more than a dozen hardwood tree species get their start.

Successful seedlings are later sold to Virginia landowners, typically to reforest open lands. Trees that begin from homegrown acorns, nuts and seeds are much more likely to thrive in Virginia’s climate.

Foresters are particularly interested in white oaks, one of the largest and most beneficia