Sign Up to Gather Them Here

 Where?

Our local parks.

I have spent the past few years looking for the elder Bur Oaks in our park forests and public lands. Generally the ones I have found are around 200-250 years old (although I would love to work with a specialist to verify that).

Somewhere along the way I started gathering Bur Oak acorns and then studied how to grow them. Some friends and I began to talk about the work and explore ways to involve others. For instance, one friend explained that Bur Oak provides a “provisioning service” suppyling abundant resources in food, shelter and materials within an ecosystem. He found a very prolific Oak on the NDSU campus and stratified (winter-chilled) many acorns from that tree last winter. This cold storage process is one way acorns can be harvested and planted. Sign up here.

Why?

“Why not? Many of our public parks and lands are disturbed and threatened by invasive species, while climate change compounds the problem. Keystone species like the Bur Oak are increasingly unable to maintain a foothold, and the loss ripples outward.

In our region, Bur Oak hosts some 250 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars, more than any other native tree. A 2025 NatureServe-led study found that over one in five native North American pollinators, including more than a third of native bee species, now face an elevated risk of extinction. As Bur Oak numbers diminish, whole ecosystems collapse.

Another friend and specialist in the field of sustainability recently told me that there are communities of people south of us gathering acorns to be sent to us so that there are oaks here ready to endure our changing climate through the next decades. This is another reason to begin collecting from our local trees. After all, it takes at least 40 years for a Bur Oak to begin producing acorns.

When?

The drop seems to be starting. It will run at peak for several weeks. We are looking for volunteers to lead and gather acorns during that time. There are different views about the best time of day to harvest but early evening will likely be when we send people out, before the nocturnal foragers arrive.

How?

Details on the process will be available for any group of volunteers. However, the process is pretty simple. A 5-gallon bucket, a rake, some gloves and a small gathering tool like a scoop or shovel will help. 

Others are taking from the acorn bounties nature provides however, and there are many guidelines for harvesting in a manner that maintains good relations with the land. I have found the chapter titled “The Honorable Harvest” from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book “Braiding Sweetgrass” both illuminating and inspirational. A few recommendations she offers in this chapter are: never take the first, never take more than half, and make an offering in return.

With Who?

We will be trying to gather and organize volunteers but we welcome you to create your own group. We would love to see a class of elementary students dedicated to the acorns of one tree in the neighborhood. Or maybe a church, men’s group, or a high school restoration club would like to serve as acorn stewards for a particular tree. We would like to support any of your ideas for bringing communities of people into communion with their local lands and its restoration.

Planting?

Bur Oak acorns, and all white oaks acorns germinate in the fall. They send their taproot into the ground through the fall and winter, increasing their chances of survival through drought. After gathering the acorns we will demonstrate a fall acorn planting. This starts with an evaluation of the acorns called a float test. In advance of the event, an empty tin can will be prepared for use over the planted acorn. These cans are fire treated in advance to burn off the rust prevention coating, then punctured in order for the germinating seed to rise up in the spring. This is known as the “Droste can” method.

Bring tin cans if you want to plant some of the acorns on property you care for. 

When signing up you will have options. You can just sign up to volunteer, or you can become an organizer. Organizers can host gatherings at particular trees or parks, organize participants and develop plans for plantings, seed storage, and tree maintenance. 

As these seeds go from acorns to saplings the community can work collectively to nurture the next generation of elders. A friend has been talking about a database and geolocation system where we can mark, and manage this new growth online. We are working with supportive city park managers to facilitate this work. I also know of other friends and gifted chefs who could create some delicious creations from the harvest. If this project is germinating something in you, please spread the word!

Sign Up Here

The post  The Great Acorn Drop is Underway! appeared first on Red River Health.

Our work continues with a hands-on effort to restore sections of our Moorhead Park forests. We will focus on removing invasive buckthorn saplings in order to support the next generation of bur oak saplings beneath. This is simple, direct work—pulling saplings, protecting young trees, and paying closer attention to the land we move through every day.

This event is open to anyone interested in helping care for the park, whether you’ve done this kind of work before or not. More hands, less work, more fun.

Event Details

Date: Monday, May 11

Time: 5:30–7:30 PM

Location: MB Johnson Park (Near the park playground)

What to bring:

• Leather gloves (some will be available)
• Sturdy shoes
• Weather-appropriate clothing

What We’ll Do

Depending on conditions, we will focus on one or more of the following:

• Pulling young buckthorn saplings where soil conditions allow
• Identifying and protecting young bur oak saplings
• Marking berry-producing buckthorn for future removal
• Removing buckthorn branches from previous clearings. 

Why This Matters

Buckthorn removal is where this work begins, but it is not the goal. By clearing it, we open light, space, and possibility for the forest to return. Native trees like bur oak can begin to regenerate, understory plants can reappear, and the relationships that define a healthy system can start to rebuild. This is long-term work—less about restoring a fixed past and more about setting the conditions for what can emerge over time. With steady effort, we are helping shape a forest that can outlast us, one that continues to grow and renew itself for generations—as though we were never here.

A Different Kind of Work

This work asks something different of us. It’s not just about removing a plant, but about learning to notice what is here, what is missing, and what is trying to return. It’s an opportunity to slow down, pay attention, and take part in the recovery of a place over time. Once we learn to listen, we can begin to hear what the land once was—and what it can become again

Looking Ahead

This is the beginning of an ongoing effort. Future events will continue this work, expanding to other areas of the park and building a community of people engaged in its care.

We hope to begin introducing simple signage in the area so others can understand the work and find ways to get involved. Our future events will include removal of fallen buckthorn branches, harvesting bur oak acorns for nearby plantings, and more. Please share this event with others.

Walking Stick Project

As part of this effort, and as part of spreading the news, we will host events for shaping felled buckthorn into walking sticks. Over time, we intend for these to become shared-use items within the park—available for anyone use and return. Anyone with woodcarving tools or experience is encouraged to reach out. 

Join Us

Come out, spend a couple hours, and take part in something that will continue to grow over time.

The post Forest Restoration- Sapling Selection at MB Johnson appeared first on Red River Health.