From Acorn to Forest: Help Virginia Grow Its Next Generation of Trees

Nut Collection Period: September 8 – October 11

By Laura Gilmore

Those acorns piling up in your yard this fall could become Virginia’s forests of tomorrow.

Fall in Virginia comes with familiar signs: cooler mornings, changing leaves, and, if you have oak trees nearby, probably a lot of acorns. If you are like Rosemary Jann, ARMN’s Citizen Science Coordinator, you may already have been woken up in the morning by the sound of acorns hitting the roof. Instead of raking them away or watching them disappear thanks to the local squirrels, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has another suggestion: collect some of them and help grow the next generation of Virginia’s forests.

Each year, DOF asks Virginians to collect certain native species of acorns and other nuts for its hardwood tree nursery. The seeds are taken to the agency’s Augusta Nursery in Crimora, where they are processed, planted, and grown into tree seedlings. Eventually, those seedlings are made available to Virginia landowners for planting across the Commonwealth.

This is not a small operation. Last year, Virginians donated an incredible 13 tons of acorns, walnuts, and other tree nuts enough to grow approximately 500,000 trees.

Why collect Virginia-grown seed?

A forest is more than a collection of trees. It is a living community shaped by its climate, soils, wildlife, and the genetic diversity of the trees growing within it.

2DOF prioritizes collecting seed from Virginia’s native trees because Virginia-grown seed generally produces trees that are well suited to Virginia’s climate. The collection effort also helps the nursery obtain species that can be difficult to find in parts of Virginia or that had a poor seed crop in a given year.

What can you collect?

DOF is seeking particular species of acorns and nuts for its nursery. For 2026, DOF is requesting the following species (those marked with an asterisk are especially in need):

• Black Oak*
• Black Walnut*
• Bur Oak
• Cherrybark Oak
• Chestnut Oak*
• Chinese Chestnut
• Chinkapin Oak
• Northern Red Oak
• Pin Oak
• Shumard Oak
• Southern Red Oak
• Swamp Chestnut Oak
• Swamp White Oak
• Water Oak
• White Oak *
• Willow Oak

If you’re not confident identifying an oak or other tree species, don’t let that stop you. DOF provides an Acorn and Nut Identification Guide, and the agency encourages people to contact the Augusta Nursery if they need help identifying a tree before collecting its seed.

How to collect

DOF’s collection process is intentionally simple, but there are a few important rules.

• Collect healthy acorns. Start by looking around for healthy, mature trees that are dropping acorns or other nuts. These trees should be visibly free from disease or deformities. Collected acorns should be tan or brown, not green, to indicate maturity. Acorns that are turning from green to brown are acceptable. Hollow nuts or those with sprouts, cracks, or holes should be avoided.
• Stick to permitted areas for collection. Suitable locations include lawn areas such as yards or trees along sidewalks or in parking lots. Street medians and busy roadways should generally be avoided for safety. As a reminder, always ask for permission to collect on private property.
• Keep species separate. Don’t combine different looking acorns in the same collection container. Check that the acorns of the species you are collecting all have a similar color, shape, and shell.
  • If there are multiple species of oak trees dropping acorns in the same area, you may want to choose another location to collect from. For example, if you are in the woods, it may be challenging or impossible to identify individual species of acorns.
• Use breathable containers. DOF specifically asks collectors not to use plastic bags, which can trap moisture and cause the seed to spoil. Paper bags or cardboard boxes are appropriate.
• Label your collection. Collect only where you can correctly identify the tree from which the nuts or acorns fell. Include the tree species, the date collected, and the location where the seed was gathered. If you’re unsure of the species, DOF has suggested including a leaf from the tree with the collection to help with identification.
• Don’t be greedy! Plan to leave at least a third of the nuts or acorns from any given tree for wildlife. Squirrels collecting seeds serve an important role in ecology; they cache them which helps forest regeneration.

A Fall Challenge for Local Residents

Here in Northern Virginia, we don’t have to go far to participate. Volunteers are encouraged to collect from private yards, sidewalks, or driveways to ensure the acorns come from a single tree species. If you do choose to seek out a local park or its parking area, always check with staff first as some regional or state parks protect natural resources and prohibit removing seeds or plants. We encourage you to take a closer look at the trees around you next time you work in your yard, walk through your neighborhood, or attend a faith service. This citizen-powered effort encourages us all to become more familiar with the native trees growing around us.

Consider organizing a Nature Walk for either like-minded naturalists or for your neighbors, church group, school connections, or other community groups. Slow down and truly examine the leaves, notice the bark, and find the acorns, and then challenge your group to identify what type of Oak you are standing under.

Last year’s collection demonstrated just how much can happen when thousands of small contributions add up: 13 tons of seed and roughly half a million potential trees. So, this fall, before you curse the acorns covering your driveway, consider picking up a few. That acorn under your feet might play a crucial role in revitalizing Virginia’s forests.

Want to help?

Local residents are encouraged to review the DOF’s Acorn and Nut Collection page for the current list of requested species, collection instructions, identification resources, and drop-off locations. Acorn and nut collection will take place from September 8 to October 11, 2026 and collection should focus on quality over quantity (other species’ seeds or poor quality ones cannot be used and cause extra work for DOF staff).

At this time, the closest drop-off locations in Northern Virginia include:

• Winkler Botanical Preserve (5400 Roanoke Ave, Alexandria)
• The “Acorn Station” at the Fairfax City Composting Center (10455 Armstrong St, Fairfax City)
• The Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St SE, Vienna)
• Hidden Oaks Nature Center (7701 Royce St, Annandale)
• Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Dr, Reston)
• Mount Vernon Government Center (2511 Parkers Ln, Alexandria)
• The DOF Warrenton Office (675 Frost Avenue, Warrenton)

While you’re collecting, take a moment to slow down and thank the tree. It’s doing its part to grow a forest. Now we can do ours.