About Tree-planter.com
This website is a huge resource developed by former and current tree planters, support staff, supervisory staff and company managers. We hope you find it both useful and enjoyable.  

Pre-Season Links of Special Interest
Tree Planting Companies Hiring
Multi Media Centre - Movie Clip and Image Galleries Galore
Tree Planter Hall of Fame
Tree Planting Quotes
 

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I'm in Alberta, planting for Rhino, and have kept a blog about the season that would probably be of some value to anyone interested enough in planting to find your site. There are videos and pictures and text. I was fired by Dynamic halfway through the season, so there has been some drama too. Anyways, I hope you take a look, and if you like I would love to be linked to or used for whatever purpose. Thank you, and I love your site. Adam Humphreys

www.adamssummerpurgatory.blogspot.com

Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association - July 8, 2008

To all silviculture contractors, firefighters and nurseries:

WSCA Strategic Summit
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Kamloops, B.C.
(venue TBA)

Planning for difficult times and tight markets:  2009 and 2010

B.C. Tree Planters Claim Six Billionth Tree Milestone

By John Betts Executive Director
Western Silvicultural Contractors’ Association

In early June of this year the silviculture industry celebrated British Columbia’s six billionth seedling reforestation milestone in a series of community and media events covering all quarters of the province. Not since the then deputy minister of forests Mike Apsey hosted the first billionth tree celebration in the early 80’s have tree planters actually been officially invited to participate in this symbolic exercise. So maybe it was time for the silviculture sector to claim the celebration and in taking a little credit for the accomplishment share it with the communities who depend on the forests now and into the future. At a time when the mood in forestry is largely funereal it was a positive reminder that we are good at growing seedlings and planting them in this province.

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No Hardhats for Tree Planters
March 1, 2004

I have a real problem with planters having to wear hardhats.

In some regions, on some contracts, with some companies, treeplanters are required to wear hardhats. Usually, it's a client imposed requirement. Sometimes planters have to wear hardhats when they are planting near trees or residual patches, while in other cases planters have to wear them anytime that they are planting.

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Crazy Swedish Planters Rockin' Out
Submitted by: Ernst

This rock video is made in a clearcut and shows some Swedish style tree planting with Puttiputkis. The band is 'Idiot' from a place called Norsjö in northern Sweden. The singer-songwriter is Jim Sundström and the music is entitled "Enter plantman". While they sing in Swedish, I think you get the idea. The refrain is "jobba mera, planta mera, svettas mera, skogsplantera" which translates something like "work more, plant more, sweat more, plant forest trees". Something for your website's lighter side?

May 15 Update 
Here are some links to a 32 Mb version of the video! (thanks Jim for the report)

Band Website: www.idiotmusik.com

32 MB File Download: Select "Music" in the main navigation, then "Diskografi" and watch for the Enter Plantman graphic.  Right click the link on the top right and select "Save File As". Then you can wait while the 32 MB file downloads.

Check it out! - - or - - you can go for the low-res video below (which is no where as cool).

Fertilizers Affect Tree Planters' Health - Old, but Important News
February 21, 2000
Source: Times Colonist

A hypothesis put forward by a senior Weyerhaeuser forester, at a recent Workers' Compensation Board inquiry as to why treeplanters are getting sick, was that they have no opportunity to wash their hands after handling professional fertilizers before eating or smoking.

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Your Job is Dangerous - Old, But Important News
January 1, 2003

We have some basic figures here from the British Columbia Workers' Compensation Board that shows silviculture work is more dangerous that most people realize. In fact, treeplanters, stand tenders and chemical brushers have some of the highest injury rates in the province. Sure, these stats are only for B.C. but working in the bush in this type of work is pretty much the same wherever you go.

World Champion Tree Planter Tells His Story
August 20, 2002

I write this to those planters interested in a very very small piece of tree-planting history.

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So, You Wanna Go Tree Planting?
Lots of website visitors are looking for basic information about tree planting, and how they can go about getting a job.

Plow Wind Devastation

Tree Planting Storm Video
You know those times while you're planting when you wished you had a video camera?  This was one of those times for me... but i had a camera.

Employment Standards and Safety Complaints Prompt Meeting with
Ministers

The mother of a young treeplanter recently wrote the following to Roger Harris her MLA and the newly appointed B.C. Minister of State for Forestry Operations: ...

Silviculture Industry Needs Assessment
October 19, 2003
Source: ASM

Several months ago, the Western Silviculture Contractors Association (WSCA) teamed up with the Forest Industry Safety Association (FISA) to take on the challenge of improving the silviculture industry's safety record.

World-Record Planting Frenzy - Old, but Cool News
January 21, 2003
Source: Daily Herald

Saskatoon man plants 15,000 plus trees. Not only did Ken Chaplin unofficially break the world record, he buried it and left it in his dust.

Contractors and Employees Liable for Forest Practices Violations
Source: WSCA

Under the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) now in effect contractors and their employees may be penalized and/or responsible for remediation for violations of forest practices legislation.

Online Training
If you have been directed here because your employer has signed you up for pre-season health and safety training, click on the Online Training Info link to the right.

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Tree Planter Quick Poll Results
We had a Quickpoll/survey running for the last couple of years on the previous version of Tree-planter.com. Over this time, it collected a huge pile of interesting information. Here is what we were able to save in the move.

In the coming weeks you will see a new Quickpoll on Tree-planter.com. Take a look in the Multi Media Centre.

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Tax Tips for Tree Planters
Well, it's that time of year again.

Cleaning Up Silviculture Payroll Problems in BC
Date: February 4, 2005
Source: WSCA

Rooting for Safety (Old but interesting. Highlighted for skimmers)

Source: Weyerhaeuser Leader Date: Apr 20, 2002 (Note the year)

It's tough work being a tree planter, but the job just became a little safer thanks to some critical thinking by an innovative team from the B.C. Interior. They bend more than 200 times per hour, lift a cumulative weight of over 1,000 kilograms per day and manually drive a shovel into the ground more than 8,000 times a week. No, they're not the latest superheroes. They're tree planters.

Important News for Everybody in Our Industry
The following is an address by Colin James to the Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association Annual Conference in Victoria, on February 4th, 2004. Julia James, the daughter of Colin, was killed in a tragic accident on a planting work site in May of 2003. The text of Colin's speech to the WSCA reads as follows:

Downloadable version attached for off-line reading (bottom of next page).

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Participate in Photo Project?
Jaya Surjadinata is coordinating a photo mosaic along with Tree-planter.com's help.  Take a look at the photo to the right by clicking on it. It is actually composed of thousands of small images. Jaya wants to build a mosaic poster during the next off-season utilizing his and your images.

Did you check out this funky image? It's not perfect for online viewing, but it would make an amazing poster.

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Tree Planters & Art - 2 Articles in One
To all the great folks who've contacted me and been in touch so far about the treeplanting and art project...

The Vortex of Insanity - By Nate Gosse
Tree-planter.com's latest submitted story is a really good one! Check out this story and others under About Tree Planting and Submitted Stories     Link

Under Construction
This website is under construction. This is now version 5. We have moved almost all of the content over and we have added some huge new enhancements. You may see some bold and red notes within - these are notes to us so we can keep track of all of our plans and To Do List items.

We hope you enjoy the site. Please report any problems to info@tree-planter.com. Thanks!

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Apologies and a Cool Photo
I have 12 emails for additions to the Hall of Fame waiting in my email for me to deal with them. Thank you all for your submissions. I’m super busy and on the road right now so I’ve temporarily put them on hold. Sorry everybody, I’m having a bit of trouble keeping up.

I’ve been doing a good bit of work for a big sawmill lately. In fact, they are the reason that I am so busy and on the road. Anyways, I saw something I thought was kinda cool today and I took a picture...

File Image

P.G. Woman Mauled in Bear Attack
FRANK PEEBLES, Citizen staff 

Local sports star Julia Gerlach is recovering in Edmonton hospital after a bear attacked her in the northern wilderness, Friday. She is in the burn unit, needing skin rehabilitation after sustaining major wounds to the head and arms when ambushed by a black bear in a remote forested area in the Fort Nelson region. Her mother Karen Gerlach was by her side in hospital that evening.

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New Photo Gallery
Check out the latest photo gallery from Cameron MacDonald. He has some great images that we are thrilled to share with you in the Tree-planter.com Multi-Media Centre (see top right link).

Cam has been planting for 5 years while pursuing his Bachelors of Education at Nipissing University. He has planted across Canada on Outland Reforestation projects in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

Cam reports that he is "looking forward to another season of bugs, mud, booze and friends."

We're looking forward to showcasing more photos from the upcoming 2006 season!

The Alberta Forest Usage Survey
The Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) is sponsoring an independent survey which will help the forest industry better understand public values, perceptions and priorities regarding the development and maintenance of Alberta’s forestlands.

The Shock Absorbing Handle (SAH)

Making Planting Faster, More Comfortable and Reducing the Potential for Injury

Two new products from Bushpro Supplies for 2006 should have a significant impact of tree planting. 

• A shovel mounted flagging tape dispenser and cutter.
• A shock absorbing handle (finally!)

Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association
17 March 2006

2006 BC Silviculture Capacity Poll

Contractors: Last year the B.C. silviculture contracting sector experienced the first symptoms of a worker shortage. Contractors reported a sharp drop in overall applicants as well as a lower return rate for experienced workers. From anecdotal reports those two trends are continuing this year. The most worrisome is the scarcity of experienced workers. I am hearing this from the Coast as contractors weather ongoing contracts there. Interior contractors are reporting the same trend developing for this spring.

Photo by Hugh Stimson

Hall of Fame Updates April 2006

Thanks everybody for your Hall of Fame nominations - keep 'em coming. Please send pictures if possible.

April 2006 Additions

• Susan Prior (Hey, we know Susan - right on!)
• Bryan Fetter
• Johnathan Rempel
• Jo-Ben Barkey
• Rod Hoel 

Check out the Hall of Fame.

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New Photos
Check out the Multi Media Section (link above) for a new photo gallery from Donovan.

Direct Link to Multi Media Centre

Hall of Fame Updated
We have spent some time adding recent nominations to the Tree Planter Hall of Fame here on Tree-planter.com. Please keep them coming!

On Monday August 28th Tree-planter.com will be on the radio with CBC at 9:30 PST to discuss the Hall of Fame and some of the folks in there.  If you get your nomination in by mid-Sunday, we will do our best to get it online before the show.

As always, we ask for your photos of the nominated person to be sent via email.

Link to Hall of Fame

Link to Nomination Form

Photos: info@tree-planter.com

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• Planting Quotes,
• Hall of Fame Nominations, and
• Multi-media content (images, movies, links, etc)

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Australian Tree Planting
Ever thought about planting down under?  Here is some info.

www.usufruct.com.au

Western Silvicultural Contractors’ Association

July 2007 Rumour Mill

• Planting Increase Forecast for B.C. 2008 Season
• 2007 Planting Season: More Planters—Less Experience
• Planting Prices Rise in 2007

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ATV Trainers

Silviculture ATV operation train-the-trainer course offered at Nelson 19-20th November 2007

Non-Canadian Tree Planters

Tree-planter.com routinely gets emails from foreign workers asking about planting in Canada. Here is my latest response.

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Hey Tree-planter.com!

You guys have a great site. I especially like your top 10 worst reasons for wanting to be a treeplanter.

I've recently completed a documentary film about treeplanting called Rooted Lives.  It was shot over two years on northern Vancouver Island, the south-eastern interior of B.C. and the Mackenzie / Lake Williston area.  It focuses on three career planters dealing with the mental and physical challenges of the job.

If you're interested in checking it out, send me a mailing address and I'll send you a copy.  If you like it, maybe you could mention it on your website.  I also have a trailer showing lots of planting and camp footage that you might like for the multimedia section of your site.

You can find more information and a link to the trailer here.

Cheers!

Erika Drushka

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Looking for Shawn O'Neill

I have a Flash file from Shawn that shows the steps associated with planting a tree. It is really good and I would like to make it available to people here. Does anybody know how to reach him?

Scott Chisholm
Email: info@Tree-Planter.com

Another great photo from Hugh Stimson

Tree Planting Companies and Getting Hired

It happens every year around this time. The emails pour in to Tree-planter.com from all over the world asking for a job tree planting. Sorry, we're not hiring - because we don't plant trees (any more). This website is a portal to information about tree planting.

If you are looking for a job, we do have a very comprehensive list of tree planting companies under the Tree Planting Companies link (above).  You will also find lots of useful information about tree planting so you can figure out if it is right for you and how to get hired.

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Bivouac West is Hiring for January 2008 Work

Check out their website for more information.

www.bivouacwest.com

Tree Planter Survey

Tree-planter.com has run surveys in the past, but we have not had one for a year or more. Well, it's back and ready to collect data. To take the survey or view the results, please click on the link to the right named "Planter Survey".

Students, companies, or institutions looking to poll our website visitors in this fashion are welcome. Please contact us with your requests.

Attention Women Planters!

Check out the "Special Advisory for Women" section under the “About Treeplanting” link for updated information about menstruation out in the middle of no where! 

I have had a lot of questions about the Diva Cup (www.divacup.com) so I thought it would be a good idea to offer my opinion.  (by Marcelle Chisholm)

Planting Opportunities in Scotland

Looking for early spring work but tired of coastal BC? Why not try Scotland?

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A Tree Planter’s Guide to Reducing Musculoskeletal Injuries

The Guide was developed for tree planters and their supervisors by FPInnovations – Feric Division (http://www.feric.ca/) in response to concerns about musculoskeletal injuries suffered by tree planters. It is based on a very detailed ergonomic study of 135 planters working in different locations and conditions in BC and Alberta. It is published in a format (Infoflip) that facilitates its use by the planter in the field.

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Getting Serious About Hardhats (Recycled News from 2003)
October 27, 2003

Professional tree planters in Canada will tell you that our job is all about keeping the client happy.  If the client wants six trees in a plot we give them sixes. If they want cedar around the rotten fir we manage our bag-up to do so. If they want pine planted in mineral soil and organic soil for the spruce we plant that way. If they want a certain percentage of larch in a block we make sure we get the right amount of bundles.  If they want us to wear hardhats, get headaches and suffer from heat exhaustion, we...just go along with it?

Photo by Tim McGuire

An Alternative to Hardhats - Approved by WorkSafeBC!

WorkSafeBC BC has approved Nootka Reforestation to use climbing helmets instead of hard hats. Climbing helmets are better ventilated and won't fall off - which is a big plus.  The only negative I see is that they cost a lot more.

Thank you to Nootka Reforestation for sending this in.

Click on the attachment below to view or download the PDF.

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Online Novel - TREES

Andrew Alastair Robinson planted seven years and a day in B.C. and Alberta, then finally learned how to relax – by writing a novel about it.  It’s underway already in serialized form on his blog.  Follow the progress of protagonist Tony and his buddies in the instant classic: “TREES”

LINK

Foklore is Hiring

Folklore is currently looking for experienced and seasoned planters
who excel at higher-priced ground. The work will be with an elite
squad operating out of hotels in the Kamloops and McBride areas.
Contracts will start at the end of April and will continue through to
the end of July. If you are interested please contact Jeremy at
rempel.jeremy@gmail.com

Hey Tree-planter.com,

I've been planting for four years in BC, Alberta, and Ontario.  I'm about to start my first season as a foreman for Folklore Contracting this season.  I'm trying to wright a book about the 2007 season (goings kind of slow).  I saw the submitted stories section on your page, and saw that I had worked with two of the authors (Nate and Rod) so i figured i'd send a story in.  Attached is just a little narrative of two days of planting and a few pics, if you're interested.  Thanks alot...sweet website.

James Steenberg

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Bugs!

Are you an artist and a tree planter?  Or, do you know an artist who’s planted?

The Label Gallery, an independent space in Winnipeg, is hosting “Bugs!”, its second annual tree planting art show, opening on September 21.  We plan to tour the show nationally and publish a colour catalogue featuring all artists who participate, and expect the show to generate significant media coverage.