The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District is accepting orders for its annual sale of conservation trees and shrubs, wildflower seed mixes, and other items such as bird and bat houses and barley straw for pond algae control.

Landowners can practice conservation by planting seedlings and wildflowers to provide wildlife food and habitat, shelter crops and landscape, reduce heating/cooling expenses, protect water quality, reduce air pollution and stabilize eroded land. Seedlings are an inexpensive alternative for replacing trees that have been damaged or lost.

The Conservation District will be offering 13 different evergreen species, twenty hardwood species, eighteen shrub species, four berries, two ground covers and three fern options. Species are available in lots of 10 or 25 or more. The district will also continue to offer bare-root fruit tree packages: offering apple, peach, pear or a mixed variety. The district also stocks marking flags, fertilizer tablets and tree shelters to help promote the success of plantings. Bird and bat houses can also be ordered through the program. The district carries bat, bluebird, butterfly, kestrel, mason bee, screech owl, wood duck and wren houses.

Catalogs and order forms could be found by visiting the Conservation District’s website at www.soilwater.org under the “District Programs” tab. You can also stop by the District’s Office at 220 Fluvanna Ave., Jamestown, or by calling 664-2351 to request a hard copy.

Ordering is on a first-come, first-served basis. time. Some popular varieties do sell out.

The deadline for ordering fruit trees and berry shrubs is March 8 and April 1 for the remainder of the catalog. Non-perishable items from the catalog are available year-round from the district.

Pick-up of tree orders will be at the Frank W. Bratt Agricultural Center, 3542 Turner Road, Jamestown. A date for the pick-up has not yet been scheduled, but it is anticipated to be at the end of April.

All stock is bare-root, meaning the plant is harvested with little or no soil attached to the roots. Due to the stock being bare-root, the plants must be harvested and replanted while in a dormant state and while soil conditions are still moist.

It is suggested trees be planted as soon as possible after picking up the order.

The Conservation District also offers planning and technical assistance to the general public as well as public and private organizations, schools, cities, towns, villages, highway departments and all units of government. Some examples of services offered by the district include: soil group worksheets for agricultural value assessments, erosion and sediment control, urban and rural drainage technical assistance, soil and water resource management, livestock programs, pond design, topographic maps, historical aerial photography and soil maps.