ROCKINGHAM — Rangers Matt Gordon and Chris McGee spent part of Friday morning hanging from trees at Eastside Cemetery.

They were shaking the branches to collect black cherry seeds for the the N.C. Forest Service tree seedling and nursery program, which has been growing native seedlings for landowners since 1954.

Gordon said they have been collecting seeds from various trees that grow in the area, including bald cypress, walnut, oak, persimmon, hickory nut, chestnut and eastern redbud.

“We take all these things and we give them to the nursery in Goldsboro,” he said.

While Gordon and McGee were in the trees, Earl Graves and Dennis Rees stayed planted firmly on the ground, collecting the small berries in nets before dumping them into a bucket.

According to a message from N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Steve Troxler in the 2016-2017 Seedling Catalog: “…the forest products industry contributes about $24 billion annually to the state’s economy and provides around 180,000 jobs for North Carolinians. The nursery program produces millions of seedlings of more than 50 different species of conifer and hardwood trees every year. These affordable tree seedlings are helping to keep North Carolina beautiful, growing and economically viable.”

Gordon said trees at the 4 million trees grown at the nursery are sold to the general public and to contractors for landscaping.

Anyone wanting to buy trees or who wants to re-forest their land — or those with loaded trees who would like to donate seeds — can call the Richmond County station at 910-582-7029.

Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal Earl Graves with the N.C. Forest Service holds a bucket of black cherries that rangers collected at Eastside Cemetery on Friday. The seeds will go to the state nursery in Goldsboro.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_ranger_cherries.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal Earl Graves with the N.C. Forest Service holds a bucket of black cherries that rangers collected at Eastside Cemetery on Friday. The seeds will go to the state nursery in Goldsboro.
N.C. Forest Service collects seeds in Rockingham cemetery

By William R. Toler

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