Cook County Soil & Water hosts a tree and shrub sale in February
Every year, Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District partners with South St. Louis and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation Districts to host a tree and shrub sale.
The Soil & Water Districts intend to reclaim the original ecosystem of northern Minnesota by offering indigenous trees and shrubs to residents along the North Shore.
Stephen Janasie, the district administrator with the Cook County Soil & Water, said planting native trees and shrubs would help reduce erosion issues, increase the soil and water quality in the region, improve wildlife habitat, and increase carbon sequestration.
The tree and shrub sale includes red-osier dogwood, ninebark, Mountain ash, choke cherry, paper birch, red maple, red oak, Norway pine, white pine, black spruce, and white spruce.
A complete list of the available trees and shrub varieties will be available on the South St.Louis Soil & Water Conservation District website in early February.
Janasie said, “We are expected to begin our online sales on February 13 at 10 a.m.”
He added, “This is one of those events you want to be on top of as soon as the sale opens.”
Janasie said there is a minimum order of one bundle of any particular tree or shrub. “And there are 25 plants per bundle.”
The trees and shrubs are relatively small bare-root plants, typically between 6 to 18 inches. Janasie said if an individual doesn’t need 25 plants for their property, he recommends going in on a bundle with a neighbor.
While the online sale is on Feb. 13, individuals will have to wait until mid-May to pick up their ordered trees and shrubs. South St. Louis Soil & Water will have pickup locations in Duluth, Two Harbors, and Grand Marais.
The pickup location in Grand Marais is at the storage garage behind the Cook County Community Center on Thursday, May 11, from noon to 4 p.m.
In addition to trees and shrubs, the Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District is having an online sale for rain barrels and compost bins, with pickup on May 11.
WTIP’s CJ Heithoff spoke with Janasie about the upcoming Soil & Water online tree and shrub sale. Audio from the interview is below.
Kalli Hawkins January 20, 2023
