We Plant Trees
The Sunshine Coast Community Forest plants new trees every year, ensuring the future of our forests. Every spring a crew from Rainforest Silviculture Services, a local contractor, comes in to plant the logged areas with seedlings. Like a farmer who sows new crops after harvesting, the SCCF plants new seedlings soon after an area has been logged. But while the farmer has only months to wait before harvesting again, the SCCF will wait at least 65 years before the next crop is ready.
“In the harvested areas we plant, we won’t see active logging again for at least 65 years”, SCCF Silviculturist Jamie Killackey said. It’s a long-term plan that starts at least one year before the first tree is cut down.
Since 2007, the SCCF has planted over 109,500 Douglas fir, Western Red Cedar and White Pine seedlings to more than replace what has been harvested.
“We have used an organic deer repellant made locally called Plantskydd® to protect seedlings in areas of heavy deer and elk populations. This is applied by hand to each tree and works very well,” Killackey said.
Seedlings must be properly planted to avoid crowding and allow natural mortality. These stands may be spaced out later, which allows the remaining trees to grow faster.
Sunshine Coast Community Forest 
Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
Fall Newsletter, Oct. 2010
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