Some years, called ‘mast’ years, nut trees produce a large number of seeds. You may notice it when hiking or walking in the woods and an acorn (or 10) drops on your head. The strategy is to overwhelm predators with a bounty to ensure that a small percentage of seeds will survive. This year we happened upon a lot of bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis) seed at one of our regular collection sites. Although the sight of SO many seeds can heighten expectations, many seeds have already been invaded

Is 2025 a mast year? 🔎 🌰 A mast year is a year with an overabundance of tree nuts like acorns and beech masts. 🌳 Mast years are thought to be an evolutionary tactic by oaks and other trees which produce a surplus of seeds in one year to try and overwhelm predators, giving their offspring a better chance of survival. ⌛ Producing nuts is costly work and slightly stunts the tree’s growth, so mast years only tend to happen once every few years. 📝 Our research suggests 2025 is the latest mast yea