The Huber Trees for Tennessee Seedling Program is a reforestation initiative created through a partnership between Huber Engineered Woods LLC (HEW) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry (TDF). The program aims to support artificial pine regeneration on recently harvested lands or on land being converted to forest, such as fallow fields. Its goal is to facilitate the planting of up to one million pine seedlings annually across the greater Tennessee Valley and the Cumberland Plateau. These seedlings are grown at the East Tennessee Nursery in Delano, Tennessee, and distributed at no cost to qualifying family forest owners.
The primary objective of the program is to encourage sound forest stewardship and to enhance the forested landscape of Tennessee through managed reforestation. Artificial regeneration is promoted due to the genetic superiority of the seedlings, which can lead to higher wood volume production and faster growth compared to natural regeneration. This approach also supports habitat diversity for wildlife, addressing the fact that pine plantations currently make up only a small fraction of Tennessee’s forests.
The program funds the cost of the seedlings and provides them free of charge to eligible landowners who meet specific criteria. Qualifying applicants must have a planting area between 20 and 75 acres and must submit a written reforestation prescription plan developed and approved by a Tennessee Division of Forestry (TDF) Area Forester. The land must be intended for future timber management, and the planting must align with the approved management plan. Either the landowner or a professional crew can conduct the planting. Once approved, landowners are responsible for seedling pickup or arranging for delivery.
Eligible applicants are family forest owners within the geographical regions of the Tennessee Valley and Cumberland Plateau. The seedlings must be ordered using the Division of Forestry’s order form, specifically checking the “Huber Seedlings” box and submitting the form with a site map to the Huber Spring City Wood Procurement Department. Additionally, the plan must be endorsed by a TDF Area Forester, and a follow-up inspection is required post-planting. HEW has expressed interest in being notified when the trees reach harvest maturity.
There is no specific application deadline mentioned, nor is there information about the program being offered on a recurring basis. However, the seedling program appears to be an annual initiative with ongoing availability depending on seedling supply and landowner interest. Interested parties are encouraged to begin by contacting their local Division of Forestry office or calling the HEW Wood Procurement Office.
