Replanting the Process: New Online Tree Ordering System for State Nursery
In Brief
Making Tree Digital Sales Simple and Accessible
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) needed a faster, more reliable way to manage tree seedling sales for its State Forest Nursery. Paper forms, mailed checks, and manual inventory tracking slowed operations and made it difficult to keep up with demand.
Together, Resource Data and the DNR created a unified online system for ordering, payments, inventory, and shipping. The new process saves the Nursery time and gives customers an easier way to buy tree seedlings.
Key Takeaways
Technology Rooted in Results
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Unified Platform for Simplified Operations
Ordering, payments, and inventory tracking now happen in one place, replacing paper forms and manual steps with an efficient, integrated system.
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Online Access for Faster, Easier Ordering
Customers can browse, order, and pay for seedlings online with immediate confirmation, saving time, and reducing delays for both staff and buyers.
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Automated Processes for Greater Accuracy
Automated pricing, tax updates, and real-time inventory tracking reduce errors and give staff better insight for planning production.
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Scalable Solution for Future Growth
Built with future expansion in mind, the system can support new nurseries, added features, and higher order volumes as demand grows.
Our Client
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages the state’s lands, waters, forests, and wildlife to ensure long-term environmental health. Within its Division of Forestry, the State Forest Nursery, located near Akeley, Minnesota, plays a vital role in this mission.
Each year, the nursery grows and sells more than three million tree seedlings to landowners, conservation districts, and foresters across the state. Its work supports reforestation and habitat restoration throughout Minnesota.
Challenges
Manual Processes Slowing a Growing Mission
For years, the State Forest Nursery managed seedling sales through paper forms, mailed checks, and manual inventory logs. Each order required staff to enter details by hand, track stock on spreadsheets, and process payments manually. The system was slow, error-prone, and difficult to manage during peak ordering seasons.
State regulations added more complexity. Different customer groups had separate sales windows, product availability, pricing tiers, and payment rules that staff had to calculate by hand. Earlier attempts to digitize the process never worked as intended, leaving the nursery stuck with outdated tools while demand for seedlings continued to rise.
The DNR needed a system that could bring every part of the process together while giving staff the tools to manage growth efficiently.
The Solution
A Unified Platform Connecting Every Part
Resource Data and the DNR’s internal development team built a custom web-based system designed for the nursery’s day-to-day needs. The new platform handles ordering, order tracking, payment processing, inventory management and shipping, all in one place, replacing the patchwork of manual steps used before.
Developed in Ruby on Rails, the system integrates with Login.MN, Minnesota’s statewide secure sign-in service, and includes reporting and export functions that let staff view and share order data easily. It was built so the DNR could maintain and expand it internally, giving the agency long-term control over its operations and future enhancements.
Features
Digital Ecosystem that Simplifies, Connects, and Scales
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Integrated Ordering and Payments for Easier Transactions
A single interface combines order entry, payments, and customer records. Staff handle mailed or online payments, and customers complete secure purchases directly in the system.
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Automated Pricing and Tax Rules for Error-Free Calculations
Built-in logic applies tiered pricing based on product quantity and updates tax rates automatically each quarter, eliminating manual spreadsheets and ensuring accurate transactions.
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Real-Time Inventory Tracking for Full Operational Visibility
Live data gives staff an accurate view of seedling availability while customers can log in to view order and shipment status.
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Multi-User Access for Diverse Customer Needs
Supports nine customer types, from state foresters to private landowners, each with unique product availability and order windows managed through role-based access.
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Centralized Delivery Management for Clear Coordination
Customers select pickup, drop-site delivery, or direct shipping. Staff use built-in tracking to manage orders across multiple locations.
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User-Friendly Product Search for Easy Browsing
Customers can search by keyword or use filters for soil type, moisture, and climate zone to quickly find the right seedlings.
The real goal is helping Minnesota plant more trees, and now the DNR has the tools to do that.
- Eric Martinez, Sr. Business Analyst, Resource Data
Results
Strengthening Service for People and Forests
The new online system quickly replaced the nursery’s paper-based process and became the single platform for all seedling orders. Staff now track sales, payments, and inventory in one place, giving them accurate information to plan production, manage demand, and prepare for future nursery expansion.
Customers now have real-time access to seedling availability and can complete the ordering process online. By logging into the system, they can view order details and status at any time. With every transaction handled digitally, the nursery spends less time on manual work and more time on its mission, growing and distributing healthy trees across Minnesota.
What's Next
Planting the Seeds for Future Growth
The system was built to evolve as the State Forest Nursery expands its operations. It can integrate new features, reporting tools, and additional nursery sites as statewide production increases, helping the DNR manage the growing volume of orders and coordination needed to reach Minnesota’s goal of planting 10 million seedlings each year by 2030. With this digital foundation in place, the agency can continue scaling reforestation efforts and strengthening conservation programs across the state.
