Plant the Seed

Season 7 | Episode 9

Plant the Seed

September 1, 2026

In this episode of SilviCast, we talk with regeneration experts Mike Reinikainen, Roger Bohringer, and Tom Hill about direct seeding—a challenging and often misunderstood approach to reforestation that establishes forests by planting seeds rather than seedlings. Direct seeding can be an economical and effective way to establish new forests, but success depends on getting the details right. We explore seed rates and timing, site preparation, planting depth, and the challenges of seed predation and seed procurement. Because little has been written about the practical application of direct seeding, success requires careful planning, patience, and diligence—as well as a willingness to experiment, observe, and learn from what happens on the ground.

 

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Guests On This Episode

Roger Bohringer, Assistant Manager, Wilson State Nursery at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Roger Bohringer

Assistant Manager, Wilson State Nursery at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Roger Bohringer is the Assistant Nursery Manager, tasked with managing the day to day operations at Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel, Wisconsin.  Prior to his current duties, he spent several summers in the field all across Wisconsin, looking at new plantings as part of the program’s reforestation monitoring efforts. Roger grew up in the southwest Wisconsin town of Cassville, a two minute walk away from the mighty Mississippi River, and earned a degree in field biology from UW-Platteville in 1992.  After graduation he did various LTE stints in Fisheries and Wildlife before falling into Forestry fulltime when he accepted a technician job at Wilson Nursery in the fall of 1998.  It was a good fit, and he’s been there ever since.

Tom Hill, consulting forester, in 25-year-old oak direct seeding in Iowa County

Tom Hill

Consulting Forester

Tom Hill is a consulting forester based in Southwest Wisconsin, where he’s spent his career helping landowners understand and care for their woods. After a long career with the Wisconsin DNR, in 2022 Tom launched Tom Hill Forestry LLC to spend more time working directly with private landowners across the Driftless region.

Tom’s a self-described “dirt forester,” known for his practical, habitat focused approach and his ability to make forest management feel accessible. He’s worked with thousands of landowners on everything from Driftless woodland management to MFL planning, timber cutting, tree planting and direct seeding. As an avid hunter and lifelong outdoorsman, he brings a real-world understanding of habitat, regeneration, and long-term stewardship.

Mike Reinikainen, Silviculture Program Consultant and Silviculturist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Mike Reinikainen

State Silviculturist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry

Mike Reinikainen is MN DNR’s state silviculturist. He is a University of Minnesota alumnus. He has practiced forestry in the Lake States for 17 years as a consulting forester, serving as forest manager and researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Cloquet Forestry Center, a Hennepin county forester, a MN DNR cooperative forest management forester, and as a MN DNR silviculturist. He spends his free time corralling his three young children, tracking closely the movements of the Packers and Brewers, playing third base, going to live music, slowly cross-country skiing, camping, canoeing, gardening, hunting upland birds and deer, and recreationally reading and thinking about silviculture.

Episode Show Notes

Woody Plant Seed Manual – USDA FS Agriculture Handbook 727, April 2008

MN DNR Reforestation

MN DNR Direct Seeding Projects – Great Lakes Silviculture Library

Subscribe to WI DNR Reforestation News

WI DNR Tree Planting

WI DNR Ordering Tree and Shrub Seedlings

Wisconsin’s State Nurseries

Regeneration Monitoring – Procedures and Standards – MN DNR Forestry, April 1, 2013. Revised December 2016.

Direct Seeding of Hardwoods in Wisconsin – Greg Edge, WI DNR-Division of Forestry. 2004.

Tom Hill Forestry blog

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Continuing Education

Continuing Education

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