That red pine tree on your property could net you big bucks from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The DNR put out the call for assistance on Friday for people to bring their red pine cones for the agency’s reforestation program.

Though more densely populated in central and northern Wisconsin, there are pockets of red pine trees in Door County according to DNR maps. Red pine is the state’s number one conifer when it comes to timber production and bad crops of pine cones dropped from the trees have depleted the state’s supply of the seed. Early September is a prime time to collect red pine cones as they mature before their scales open up and deposit its seeds. The DNR is offering $125 a bushel for properly collected red pine cones, with each bushel netting the agency approximately a half-pound of seeds.

There are some stipulations however, including that they have to be sold to the DNR at one of their seed-buying locations in the state. The closest ones to Door and Kewaunee counties that are accepting the pine cones right now are in Appleton and Horicon. 

Picture courtesy of Wisconsin DNR