Virginia Department of Forestry

You asked, we're delivering — the next Callery pear exchange event is Nov. 8 in Richmond! 🪓🔄🌳Remove invasive pear trees from your property and get ✨free✨ native replacements. Fall is a great time to remove and chemically treat invasive plants. It's also a great time to plant many native species. Register today before slots fill up: https://ow.ly/Q97R50XbWk0

Fall fire season is here, bringing increased fire danger to an already dry Virginia. Most wildfires are started by people, with escaped debris being the leading cause. Here are some key practices for preventing wildfires: 🚫 Avoid having outdoor fires on dry, windy days 🔥 Keep fires small and far from vegetation 🪣 Have tools and water on hand 📱 Have your phone ready to call 911 in case of an emergency 👀 Stay with your fire until it's out cold Learn more: https://ow.ly/Lm4B50XbOnn

Final call to donate acorns, walnuts and chestnuts! 📢 Please drop donations off before 4:30 p.m. tomorrow. This deadline is necessary so we can plant under ideal conditions. Thank you for helping us grow more trees! 🌳🫶 Find a drop-off location: https://ow.ly/L1MH50Xbly8 Additional locations in Northern Virginia (please note some close Oct. 14): https://ow.ly/v5Vm50Xbly9

Fall colors are progressing slowly this week. 🐌 🍁 The Grayson Highlands are just starting to reach peak color, while the Alleghenies vary between patchy and near peak. Views along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are getting nice, but the region is still very green. Read more and learn which tree species are stealing the show in our full report: https://ow.ly/oCro50X9eGR

Going camping this fall? 🏕️🍁 Help our forests by getting firewood at your destination. Insect pests like the spotted lanternfly and emerald ash borer can hide in firewood, allowing them to spread and destroy more forests when moved. 🪵🪲

Thanks to recent weather, green is still the predominant color in most of Virginia's forests. Only some of the highest elevation areas in the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains are starting to see patchy to partial change. Read the full week 2 fall foliage report ➡️ https://ow.ly/hK6F50X5XkG

DOF's online seedling store is now open! Shop from 56 Virginia-grown tree and shrub species at BuyVATrees.com. 🌱🛒 DOF accepts orders until April, but supplies are limited, and some species sell out quickly. Orders placed now will be ready next February, right in time for the spring planting season, and can be shipped nationally or picked up from our nursery.

Just two weeks remain to donate your acorns, chestnuts and black walnuts! ⏰ 🌰 Find your nearest drop-off location: https://ow.ly/ZizE50X3zYC If you've already donated, thank you! Your donations are on their way to our nursery, where they'll grow with beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 🌱🌅

It's time to start planning your spring planting projects—DOF's seedling store opens Oct. 1, and some species sell out fast! 🪴 🛒 Inventory and pricing can be viewed now at BuyVATrees.com. 56 tree and shrub species are available this year, with additions including northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), as well as returning best sellers like eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), pawpaw (Asimina triloba) and American hazelnut (Corylus americana).

Our first foliage report of 2025 is here! 🍁📄 The recent dry spell is causing many trees to change color and drop their leaves earlier than normal. Trees along roads, in urban areas, and at higher elevations tend to change color first. 🔗 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/d7swDFC5