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Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products

NAICS 113210 · Forestry and Logging · SBA size standard: $20.5 million average annual receipts

Forest nurseries grow tree seedlings and native plants for reforestation while gatherers collect seeds, cones, mushrooms, ferns, moss, bark and other non-timber forest products on public and private lands. Specialists turn collection permits and customer orders into harvest schedules, convert schedules into daily field tasks and route sheets, track seed and plant inventory through germination and hardening, and keep required federal, state and tribal permits, phytosanitary certificates and sustainable-harvest documentation current. The forester makes all final decisions on what may be taken, where and when.

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What makes this business different

  • Seasonal windows dictated by weather, elevation, seed maturity and plant dormancy that shift yearly
  • Federal, state, tribal and private-land permits that specify exactly which species, quantities and locations may be harvested
  • Sustainable-yield rules, endangered-species buffers and cultural-resource protections that must be observed in the field
  • Live-plant inventory that moves from seed bank through greenhouse germination, transplant, hardening and outplanting with survival tracking
  • Perishable gathered products such as mushrooms and ferns that require same-day cooling and rapid transport to buyers
  • Phytosanitary certificates, chain-of-custody documents and harvest tags that travel with every shipment
  • Remote field crews that need daily check-ins, weather alerts and emergency extraction plans
  • Repeat contracts with federal agencies, timber companies and restoration nonprofits that reorder the same seed lots yearly

Specialist bots

  • a worker at a wooden desk examining collection permit documents beside a topographic map pinned to the wall

    Permit and Order Coordinator

    Convert every new customer request or agency contract into a order and draft permit application.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs, Contract Analyzer · Workflows: Permit and order intake

    Automates

    • Reads incoming order emails and forms
    • Extracts species, quantity, location and date requirements
    • Checks against active permits and seasonal calendars
    • Drafts permit applications and contract scopes
    • Creates master order tasks with compliance flags

    Stops for a person

    • The forester reviews and signs every permit application and contract
    • Any request involving protected species is escalated immediately
  • a worker marking collection sites with colored pins on a large wall map covered with seasonal calendars

    Harvest and Collection Scheduler

    Build seasonal and weekly field schedules that respect permit limits, phenology and weather constraints.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Sheets, Process Optimizer · Workflows: Seasonal harvest and collection scheduling

    Automates

    • Maps permits to biological calendars and weather forecasts
    • Creates weekly crew assignments and daily quotas
    • Calculates sustainable harvest limits
    • Generates route sheets and task lists

    Stops for a person

    • The forester approves all final schedules and any changes
    • Crew leads confirm feasibility on the ground before work begins
  • a worker in the forest kneeling beside a tarp of freshly collected pine cones while scanning a barcode tag with a handheld device

    Field Operations Logger

    Capture daily harvest data, GPS tracks and observations from crews and keep material traceable.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Sheets · Workflows: Daily field collection and nursery tasks

    Automates

    • Distributes digital route sheets and harvest tags
    • Logs quantities, seed-lot numbers and field notes
    • Flags deviations and pest observations
    • Schedules same-day transport of perishables

    Stops for a person

    • Crews verify their own daily logs before submission
    • The forester reviews any flagged deviations or buffer violations
  • a worker counting tiny conifer seedlings in trays inside a shaded greenhouse with misting nozzles overhead

    Nursery Inventory Manager

    Track seed and seedling movement through all production stages and maintain accurate stock for contracts.

    Works in: Ambitious Sheets, Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs · Workflows: Seed, seedling and product inventory

    Automates

    • Records new collections and updates lot status
    • Calculates germination and survival rates
    • Tracks movement between sowing, transplant and hardening
    • Generates reorder alerts and inventory reports

    Stops for a person

    • The forester approves any culling or treatment decisions
    • Final counts for large contracts are verified by a second person
  • a worker at a field station desk attaching numbered metal tags to bundles of cut fern fronds next to a stack of official forms

    Compliance and Documentation Clerk

    Assemble harvest logs, phytosanitary certificates and regulatory reports while tracking all permit deadlines.

    Works in: Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Sheets, Ambitious Tasks · Workflows: Regulatory and phytosanitary documentation

    Automates

    • Compiles daily logs and tag numbers into reports
    • Drafts phytosanitary and chain-of-custody forms
    • Tracks expiration dates for permits and insurance
    • Prepares annual agency reporting packets

    Stops for a person

    • The forester verifies accuracy of all compliance documents before submission
    • People confirm and sign every certificate that leaves the operation
  • a worker loading crates of potted tree seedlings onto the bed of a pickup truck parked outside a nursery barn

    Order Fulfillment Coordinator

    Prepare and ship exact seed lots or seedlings with all required documentation for each customer.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Sheets · Workflows: Order fulfillment and shipping

    Automates

    • Pulls inventory to match order specifications
    • Attaches correct labels and certificates
    • Generates manifests and shipping labels
    • Records delivery confirmations

    Stops for a person

    • The forester inspects high-value or regulated shipments before release
    • A person physically verifies counts and seals containers
  • a worker wearing a hard hat and high-visibility vest standing at a trailhead checking a satellite communicator before entering dense woods

    Crew Safety and Logistics Coordinator

    Monitor daily weather, fire risk and crew locations while maintaining check-in schedules for remote teams.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Sheets, Email Buckets · Workflows: Field crew safety and logistics

    Automates

    • Pulls weather and fire-danger forecasts for each site
    • Generates daily crew manifests and check-in times
    • Logs satellite check-ins and escalates misses
    • Tracks PPE and emergency equipment readiness

    Stops for a person

    • Crew leaders confirm they have reviewed the daily safety briefing
    • The forester decides on any closure or evacuation calls

Workflows

Permit and order intake

Starts when: A new customer request, agency contract or permit application arrives by email or form

  1. Capture requested species, quantities, collection dates and specific sites
  2. Check against current permit allowances, sustainable limits and seasonal windows
  3. Draft the permit application or contract scope for forester review
  4. Create a master order task with all compliance requirements attached
  5. Notify the forester when a new permit or modification is needed

Watch for: Exact legal descriptions of collection sites and elevation bands must be recorded; Endangered or culturally significant species trigger immediate forester review

Seasonal harvest and collection scheduling

Starts when: Start of each biological season or new contract award

  1. Map all active permits and orders against phenology calendars and weather forecasts
  2. Build a weekly field schedule showing crew size, target species and locations
  3. Flag overlapping permits that require staggered access or extra buffers
  4. Calculate daily harvest quotas to stay under permit ceilings
  5. Produce route sheets and daily task lists for each crew

Watch for: Weather, snowmelt or fire closures can cancel or shift entire weeks; Some species can be collected only within a narrow ripeness window of a few days

Daily field collection and nursery tasks

Starts when: Each morning when crews depart or greenhouse work begins

  1. Distribute digital route sheets and harvest tags to crews
  2. Log start and end times, GPS tracks and quantities collected
  3. Record seed lot or plant batch numbers and any field observations
  4. Flag deviations such as lower yield or pest damage for forester review
  5. Schedule same-day transport of perishables to cooling or processing

Watch for: Crews must stay within permitted boundaries and observe buffer zones; All harvest tags and labels must stay with material from field to storage

Seed, seedling and product inventory

Starts when: After each collection or weekly in the nursery

  1. Enter new seed weights, cone counts or plant quantities into inventory sheets
  2. Move seed lots through cleaning, stratification, sowing and transplant stages
  3. Track germination rates, culling and survival percentages
  4. Generate reorder suggestions when stock falls below contract minimums
  5. Prepare inventory reports for upcoming deliveries

Watch for: Seed viability declines over time and must be tested before large contracts; Live plants require precise hardening schedules before outplanting

Regulatory and phytosanitary documentation

Starts when: End of each harvest day, before every shipment and on permit renewal dates

  1. Compile daily harvest logs, GPS data and tag numbers
  2. Draft phytosanitary certificates and chain-of-custody forms
  3. Track expiration dates for collection permits, business licenses and insurance
  4. Maintain sustainable-harvest and cultural-resource compliance records
  5. Prepare annual reports required by state and federal agencies

Watch for: Each jurisdiction has different required forms and submission deadlines; All documents must be ready for unannounced inspections

Order fulfillment and shipping

Starts when: When a customer order is ready for delivery or pickup

  1. Pull and inspect requested seed lots or seedlings against order specs
  2. Attach correct labels, tags and phytosanitary documents
  3. Draft shipping manifests and delivery confirmations
  4. Schedule pickup or carrier shipment
  5. Record delivery confirmation and any transport issues

Watch for: Live plants must be shipped at the correct dormancy stage; Some buyers require third-party inspection before release

Field crew safety and logistics

Starts when: Daily before crews enter the forest and weekly for remote multi-day trips

  1. Check weather, fire danger and road conditions for each site
  2. Confirm satellite communicator check-in schedule and emergency contacts
  3. Generate daily crew manifests and expected return times
  4. Log completed check-ins and escalate missed contacts
  5. Maintain first-aid, PPE and extraction equipment inventory

Watch for: Remote areas have limited cell coverage and require satellite devices; Seasonal hazards such as bears, falling trees or unstable slopes change daily

Bot templates for this industry

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Size Standards, Table of Small Business Size Standards Matched to North American Industry Classification System Codes, version March 2023 (effective 2023-03-17, NAICS 2022). Size standards are shown for reference only.