Rogue Watershed wildlife forage seed giveaway Sept. 24 in Central Point, Grants Pass, Gold Beach

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – ODFW is giving away free wildlife forage seed to Southwest Oregon area landowners on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. The seed is free to the public from generous donations from the Rogue Valley, Curry, Josephine, and State-level Chapters of the Oregon Hunters Association, matched with federal funds granted to ODFW through the Pittman-Robertson Act's Wildlife Restoration Program.

Interested landowners are eligible for two 15-pound bags of seed which can cover at least one acre of habitat. Seed bags are available first-come, first serve and are often gone before the end of the day. The Denman Wildlife Area location will have the most bags, but the two other locations should have enough for at least 40 landowners to receive seed. This will be the second year that seed will be available in Gold Beach and Grants Pass.

Seed bags can be picked up beginning at 7 a.m. from these locations:

• Denman Wildlife Area ODFW Office, 1495 East Gregory Road, Central Point.
• Rogue Valley Secure Storage, 3591 Highland Avenue, Grants Pass.
• ODFW Gold Beach Field Office, 29907 Airport Drive, Gold Beach .

The forage mix is not suitable for healthy habitats such as woodlands and grasslands dominated by native species and should not be planted on public lands. Other regional partners including ODFW are working on those lands to improve forage and habitat conditions.

The mix is a blend of species that attract watchable wildlife, game birds, and mammals. It includes native and non-native grasses and herbaceous species that provide critical food sources for animals during fall, winter and early spring in places where native forage is lacking or has deteriorated.

There will also be a small giveaway of a native grass/wildflower seed mixture. Seeds in this mixture were sourced from the interior Rogue Valley and will benefit native pollinators and birds.

These seeds can grow without irrigation and should be planted soon so they are ready to sprout with fall rains. Some seeds need to overwinter and will sprout in the spring. Instructions for suitable locations and how to sow seeds will also be available.

ODFW says the pasture-adapted forage species can help out-compete invasive non-native plants such as yellow star-thistle which provides very little forage value for wildlife. Understory plants also help stabilize soils and provide ground cover to control dust and reduce erosion.

Productive wildlife habitat on private lands is an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to ODFW's mission of protecting and enhancing Oregon's native wildlife populations.