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Iowa State Forest Nursery Still Open

Iowa DNR
The State Forest Nursery has apprently survived the budget ax for now

The 98-acre State Forest Nursery in Ames has been losing money since 2007 because of decreasing demand for seedlings. That made it a likely target for closing when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources was looking to trim the budget. District Forester Mark Vitosh says however, the nursery is open and is filling orders for this fall and next spring.

“We’re continuing to try to make changes and do other things to try to keep the doors open and continue to supply a great resource of native shrubs and trees to the folks of Iowa," he said.  "Last year we sold a little over a million seedlings and we hope to sell more in the years to come.” 

The nursery was created in the late 1930s by President Roosevelt as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Vitosh made his comments Friday on IPR’s Talk of Iowa.

Pat Blank is the host of All Things Considered