Keep Cool

Again, I haven't posted in a while. I won't promise anything anymore, let's just say that when it comes to my use of the "Information Highway", blogging is now on the unfrequented bushroads...

We'll see though.

As the season looms, and with weather patterns quite different from last year's, here's a reminder of the extreme conditions one might face while on planting blocks:



Can't wait for the season. But I apparently can wait to blog, so see you in a year or two!

Quick Post Before a More Detailed Update...

Seems like I've abandonned this blog within the last few months. If I was extremely busy and working in isolated camps (two three weeks stints in fly-in camps without getting out of the bush) during the season, I had plenty of time since I've returned home in early September. The problem is, I really didn't want to talk about anything planting.

Now, it seems I can get some perspective again and I should post lots of pictures and stories about my 2009 experience, and I should get on this as soon as I can. Until then, here's a great music video of the Tree Planter's Waltz by Smoky Tiger, featuring Baba Brinkman and Emily Ray, inspired by the Log Driver's Waltz by John Weldon and sung by Eunice Macauley. The footage at the beginning is from a 1977 documentary called "Do it with joy" following Dirk Brinkman's crew, planting trees with hoedads.



Will reconnect soon...

Precision Dropping and Tree Handling...

Here's a nice heli pilot dropping a load of boxes besides a heli platform.

The problem? It's on British-Columbia's coast, and it's quite steep! After the drop, the treeplanter have to do some extra work to get the boxes back up, displaying a handling method that would make most client foresters or checkers shriek in agony. But it's not like there's any alternatives and this might have been done by many tree planters, tree runners and foremen throughout history (including yours truly...maybe). And to the pilot's defense, it's not like there was plenty of space to drop the load...



And you know what's great? He just go get the boxes, no bitching (that we know of)...there's nothing he can do and those trees need to be planted.

In the next video, you can see the same dude planting in the snow. Notice how different the pace is on the coast, with higher quality standards than most places (yet, they don't always need to kick the hole shut) and high tree prices, mostly when compared to the sheer speed necessary to make any money out east.



On an ending note, some coastal planters have already started planting. Expected conditions: Some snow and lots of rain on steep terrain...

Coastal Planting

Given the number of people than lands here searching for Coastal work or info, and the fact that I don't know shit about it, except that it's a fairly exclusive club, I'd like to redirect you to this replant.ca thread on the subject.

Good luck!

Scooter's Summer 2008 Planting Memories Video

Here's Scooter's latest season resumed in a video:



At one point during the summer, our camps were operating for the same client, not too far away from each other (just about 100 klicks away, which is not far in planting distances). But his spring season was mostly in British-Columbia, while ours was mostly in Sasktachewan and around Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.

Music: "At Least One Song" by Mike Allison

A full-quality version of the video and photo galleries is available as a free download on replant.ca. Also check out www.MikeAllison.ca to learn more about the music used in this video.

Rooted Lives

Here's the trailer for Rooted Lives, a documentary directed by Erika Drushka, depicting the lives of three British-Columbia career treeplanters, known in the business as "lifers".

B-C's treeplanting season can start as early as February on the Pacific Coast (highly rainy at that time of the year) and last over 6 months, thus earning the workers wage highly sufficient to not work for the rest of the year if they want to, allowing them to pursue any personal interests and venue, ranging from arts to travelling, passing by full-time parenting. (Some treeplanting outfits gathering to veterans and lifers will even offer children daycare services)

Here's the website, a better-quality Quicktime version of the video is available here.

Another Planting Trailer Vid...

Here's another great video from YouTuber Planter Justin Cheshire, working for Nata Reforestation in interior British-Columbia. Seems like the guy knows how to film fun. In reality though, the work/fun ratio is way up there in favour of work...



I'm also kinda glad some companies are not too anal retentive about some stuff yet...

Another Great Planting Video...

Here's a wonderful video shared by an user on Replant.ca's forums.

I don't know if it's a real trailer, but it's a funny and spectacular video showing the craziness of treeplanting...and treeplanters!



Some non-initiates might wonder why there is some public pool footage. It's simply a popular activity on day-off. The music featured is Clint Mansell's Requiem for a Dream.

The original video can be found on YouTube.

Another take on planters

Mark and Calum are eternal opponents on OLN Canada's Road Hockey Rumble. In the second episode, in Prince George BC, Mark recruited some loggers for his team, while Calum, who spent many years in town, went the treeplanter way. Here's what Mark thinks of planters:



And here's Calum reply:



For your information, Team Planter destroyed Team Chopper 13-2! But I'll concede that Calum had the recruiting advantage as he knew people in town...Whatever, planters are better!

Looking for a Tree-Planting Job?

*** UPDATED FOR THE 2009 SEASON ***

You are looking for a treeplanting job this season? Are you experienced?

Sadly, if you're not, it's not the best time to get in, as the future of the industry is looking grim.

If you're looking for a Coastal job, be sure to check this post.

It's still possible to get a job, but due to the forestry industry's problems, many reforestation companies are diminishing their operations due to less contracts, bidding lower on the contracts they won or they'll simply plainly fold for the upcoming season. Therefore, there's more experienced planters to be hired for less interesting jobs and potential first time planters have to look more and accept less interesting offers in order to secure a job.

If they'll hire rookies at all, most companies will accept references from their current planters, so contacts are the key. This is especially valid on the Coast in British-Columbia, but it spreads elsewhere. Ontario might be your best chance.

It's doesn't mean you have to abandon if you're really motivated to get in, just that you'll have to knock at a lot of doors, and very often at the same ones!

If you apply on a website or by email, your application form might be queued while they are sorting and filling their last positions, so it will be important to remind them often that you're interested..

I'd suggest hitting replant.ca's job-market message board, as there is many foremen/crewbosses looking to fill some spots in their crews, as well as some companies hiring (by posting their job offerings there, they have better chances to hire veterans). Most are looking for experienced planters, but I've seen many messages open to rookies or not specifying. You could also try the featured companies section on tree-planter.com, but the chances of securing a job are less likely as most company info refers to their websites and/or their normal hiring process.

There is chances that any currently available positions will go to returning vets who didn't yet decide whether to go back to the bush or not. Your only chance would be as a replacement for any last-minute withdrawal, and in order to secure such a job, you will need to get on the waiting lists and show your determination by constantly reminding any potential employers and hirers that:

1) You exist.
2) You would be the best choice for the job.
3) You need money and it is your sole motivation, but you can deal with the lifestyle and the hard work.

Also, accept that nothing you have ever done will prepare for a treeplanting job, even what seems to be a similar experience (sports, landscaping, outdoors activities and jobs, the military), but don't let it stop you from stating such experiences.

As for the companies' reputation, I'd suggest doing a little investigation. Canadiantreeplanting.com used to be the best site for this kind of info, but it's been down for quite a while and it seems doubtful it will ever be back in full force. You might try the company forum on replant.ca and ask around (cross your fingers).

For additional info about getting hired, you might need to look at this tip page and/or this McGill University handout. Websites such as Hardcore Treeplanters and Treeplanting Online are also very good resources for general information about the job.

As said before, take your chance if you're a rookie, but expect to be on a waiting list and don't stop there, knock on every door!

Hurry up, get your shit together and good luck!

A different pace...

Here's a video showing how treeplanting is done on British-Columbia's Haida Gwaii islands (Usually known as Queen Charlotte islands, the native Haida name is slowly getting recognition), home to one of the most beautiful national parks in North America, according to the National Gepgraphic; the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, protected under joint federal and Haida legislation.

As you can see, this is a much slower pace than "conventional planting" as the tree planting process takes longer, due to additional measures to protect and make sure the tree will grow healthily. Access to this region is hard, either done by boat and/or helicopter, and coastal treeplanters are usually more experienced than other planters elsewhere in Canada, as most moved to the coast after a few years of faster ground planting.

The main advantage there is that trees are worth more (can sometimes be more than a dollar per tree), and you therefore need to plant less trees to make good money. But the quality standards are quite high and you might sometimes need to plant numerous species of seedlings in a small area, or plant really rocky or slashy terrain. Finally, despite the West Coast being milder, temperature-wise, it's also rain paradise (or hell, depending on where you stand). So, you need to know your shit, and those guys desserve their money!



Also, while on the Haida Gwaii tree subject, please check out the following New Yorker article, about an environment activist who cut a rare and very old tree to make a point. An interesting reading.

Scooter's Camp Video

Jonathan Clark, best known as Scooter, is a camp supervisor for Folklore in Alberta and British-Columbia. He is the webmaster of Replant.ca , a highly informative treeplanting website, mostly regarding the way it's done in Western Canada. His website is recommended not only to any prospective planter, but to any planters, thanks to the great pictures, insights and tips.

Aside from the pics, two sections are really interesting: Scooter's diary is a great way to get the point-of-view, routine and problems expected and faced on a day-to-day basis by a camp supervisor. His reference material is also incredibly detailed for all information, from the actual act of planting trees to the crewboss, or foreman, information.

A must read.

Here's a video from his 2006 season: