Ferguson Forest Centre

What Ferguson Forest Centre does

Ferguson Forest Centre is a Canadian not-for-profit tree nursery operator headquartered in Kemptville, Ontario, structured as the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation with the Ferguson Tree Nursery as its wholly-owned operating subsidiary. The entity manages 1,100 acres of multi-use forested land (360 acres of municipal land and 740 acres of provincial land) in the Municipality of North Grenville, on the north edge of Kemptville roughly 30 minutes south of Ottawa. Its core business is the cultivation and sale of native and non-invasive naturalized tree seedlings, shrubs, fruit trees, and native perennials grown from locally collected seed sources, marketed as Eastern Ontario's largest supplier of high-quality tree seedlings and nursery stock.

The product portfolio spans 368+ SKUs across coniferous trees (54 varieties), deciduous trees (76 varieties), shrubs (71 varieties), fruit trees (16 varieties), oversized bareroot (9 varieties), and native perennials (78 varieties), plus greenhouse plugs, cuttings, gift trees, gift certificates, planting supplies (tree guards, biochar, repellents), and a small bookshop. Stock is offered in three formats — bareroot seedlings (the most economical option for large-scale reforestation), potted stock (1–10 gallon containers), and oversized bareroot — with bareroot per-unit pricing starting near $1.05 in bulk and 5-gallon potted stock reaching $64. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via an e-commerce website with pre-arranged pickup at the nursery; most higher-value products are pickup-only and not shippable.

The company serves foresters, landscapers, individual landowners, other nurseries, and conservation-minded individuals across Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario, and Southwestern Quebec. Its customer base includes six regional conservation authorities (Rideau Valley, Mississippi Valley, South Nation, Cataraqui Region, Raisin Region, Saugeen), the Municipality of North Grenville, Forest Ontario, the Forest Gene Conservation Association, and Maple Leaves Forever. The organization is governed by a volunteer board, operated by a five-person management team installed in September 2020 after founder Ed Patchell's retirement, and reinvests nursery margins into the maintenance and stewardship of its conservation and recreation lands.

Name

Ferguson Forest Centre

Legal name

Ferguson Tree Nursery

Website

https://fergusontreenursery.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ferguson Forest Centre is a Canadian not-for-profit operating the Ferguson Tree Nursery in Kemptville, Ontario, growing native and naturalized tree seedlings, shrubs, fruit trees, and perennials from local seed sources for foresters, landscapers, landowners, and conservation organizations across Eastern Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tree Nursery

NAICS

Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursery Contract Growing & Reforestation Stock Supply (AFAMADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Nursery Stock Production (Seedlings, Saplings, Clonal Material) (AFAMACAA), Seedling & Sapling Production (Bare-Root) (AFAMADAC), Forest Seed Orchards & Breeding Programs (AFAMADAB)

Keywords

• Native tree seedlings
• Tree nursery stock
• Bareroot seedlings
• Reforestation plants
• Conservation nursery

Headquarters

HQ city

Kemptville

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tree and Nursery Stock Sales: One-time sales of tree seedlings, shrubs, fruit trees, native perennials, and planting supplies. Products are sold in various formats including bareroot seedlings, potted stock, oversized bareroot, and greenhouse plugs. Volume discounts are available for larger orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ferguson Forest Centre is a not-for-profit tree nursery that grows and sells native tree seedlings, shrubs, fruit trees, native perennials, cuttings, and related nursery stock from local seed sources. The nursery operates on approximately 1,100 acres of forested land in Kemptville, Ontario, and supplies native plants in bareroot, potted, oversized bareroot, and greenhouse plug formats to foresters, landscapers, conservation authorities, nurseries, and individual landowners.

Product overview

Ferguson Tree Nursery is a not-for-profit tree nursery operated by the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation, serving as eastern Ontario's largest supplier of high-quality tree seedlings and nursery stock. The company operates a unified product portfolio centered on native and non-invasive naturalized trees and woody shrubs produced from local seed sources. Core offerings include coniferous trees, deciduous trees, shrubs, fruit trees, and native perennials, available in multiple stock formats: bareroot seedlings (most economical for large projects), potted stock (suitable for year-round planting), and oversized bareroot (for established plantings). Supporting products include greenhouse plugs, gift certificates, gift trees, cuttings, planting supplies (tree guards, biochar, repellents), and educational books. The nursery also partners with conservation authorities across eastern Ontario to support reforestation efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coniferous Trees Native coniferous tree seedlings (e.g., evergreens) sold per unit in bareroot format, available to foresters, landscapers, and individual landowners for reforestation and ornamental planting.
• Deciduous Trees Native deciduous tree seedlings sold per unit in bareroot format, suitable for reforestation, landscaping, and residential planting.
• Shrubs Native shrub species sold per unit for habitat restoration, landscaping, and residential planting.
• Fruit Trees Fruit tree seedlings and potted stock sold to homeowners and small-scale growers for orchard and backyard planting.
• Native Perennials Native perennial plants sold per unit for pollinator gardens, habitat restoration, and residential landscaping.
• Greenhouse Plugs Greenhouse-grown plug seedlings sold in small-form containers for transplanting, available to foresters, landscapers, and homeowners.
• Oversized Bareroot Larger bareroot seedlings sold per unit for buyers needing more mature planting stock for restoration and landscaping projects.
• Gift Trees Native tree seedlings sold as gift items for conservation-minded individuals and corporate gifting purposes.
• Cuttings Plant cuttings sold per unit for propagation and habitat restoration uses.
• Gift Certificate Gift certificates redeemable for nursery products, purchased by individual buyers for gifting purposes.
• Planting Supplies Planting supplies and accessories sold to support seedling establishment for retail and wholesale buyers.
• The Forest Shop: Books Books and related educational materials sold through the Forest Shop onsite retail presence.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forest Gene Conservation AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting forest genetics conservation in Ontario. Listed as a partner on the Ferguson Tree Nursery website indicating collaborative relationship in conservation efforts.
• Forest OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization (formerly Forests Canada) focused on reforestation initiatives across Ontario. Collaborative relationship supporting tree planting and forest restoration.
• Rideau Valley Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority serving the Rideau River watershed. Partner organization working on conservation and environmental initiatives.
• Mississippi Valley Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority serving the Mississippi River watershed. Collaborative conservation partner.
• South Nation Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority serving the South Nation River watershed. Partner in conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Cataraqui Region Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority serving the Cataraqui Region. Collaborative conservation partner.
• Raisin Region Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority serving the Raisin River watershed. Conservation partnership.
• Saugeen Conservation AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation authority (Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority) serving the Saugeen River watershed. Conservation partner.
• Municipality of North GrenvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner that owns and governs the lands on which the Ferguson Forest Centre operates. The Corporation oversees 360 acres of municipal land and 740 acres of provincial lands.
• Maple Leaves ForeverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on maple tree conservation and education. Provides guidance and resources related to tree planting and care.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Forest Ontario: Ontario non-profit that channels corporate and government funding into reforestation projects and partners with nurseries like Ferguson for seedling supply; ecosystem partner that drives demand.
• Conservation Ontario: Umbrella body representing Ontario's 36 Conservation Authorities, several of which are Ferguson customers; comparable as the institutional demand layer for reforestation stock.

Direct peers

• Verdun Tree Nursery: Regional nursery operator in Eastern Ontario/Quebec selling native trees and shrubs; competes for landscapers, conservation buyers, and individual landowners in overlapping territory.
• Ontario Tree Seed Facility (Canadian Forest Service): Government-run forest seedling/nursery operation in Ontario focused on reforestation stock; comparable as a supplier of native tree seedlings to foresters and government programs in the same province.
• St. Williams Nursery Station: Ontario-based forest tree nursery producing seedlings for reforestation and conservation; directly comparable as a provincially-rooted nursery supplying bareroot and potted stock to the same Eastern Canadian customer base.
• Whiffletree Farm & Nursery: Ontario-based nursery growing fruit trees, native shrubs, and edible perennials with an emphasis on local adaptation; competes in the same regional customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Davey Tree Expert Co. Large North American tree care and nursery services company offering planting and landscape services; broader incumbent that touches the same end-customers but at a much larger scale and service scope.

Regional players

• Sheffield's Seed Co. New York-based native plant and tree seed/seedling supplier serving the Northeastern U.S.; comparable native-species focus and reforestation/wildlife seed supply model but U.S.-only footprint.

Emerging players

• Trent University Native Plant Nursery: Ontario-based native plant and tree nursery focused on locally-sourced stock for ecological restoration; overlaps with Ferguson's native perennials and reforestation seedlings offering.
• Native Plants in Claremont (Pine Knot Farms): Specialty native plant nursery offering perennials, shrubs, and small trees across Eastern North America; comparable product overlap on native perennials and shrubs, broader geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEhTzv87djxr239H__00GRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FergusonTreeNursery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ferguson-forest-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ferguson Forest Centre