For the next 10 days Smoothwater will be home to eighteen young men and women currently tree planting in the Temagami area. This relatively small group is made up of planting elites, chosen for their years of experience and ability to handle this region’s rough terrain. Yesterday was the crew’s first day and they planted a total of 25,000 red and white pine seedlings while enjoying the sunshine and enduring zillions of mosquitos.
We all use wood and paper products, and logging is a big part of northern Ontario’s economy. Harvest blocks are identified each year on Temagami’s crown land as part of a highly regulated forest management plan for the region. Following harvest, the MNR identifies some cut blocks for planting, while others are left to naturally regenerate.
Most of the time these folks are planting in more remote areas of northeastern Ontario, so tenting on Smoothwater’s property and eating in the lodge is a treat (not to mention the availability of a hot shower). Feeding these hard workers involves early mornings for us (breakfast is at 6 am) and a lot of food prep – their ten hour work day generates big appetites! For this crew, we’re cooking in a different style than we normally do, filling them up with lots of summer camp-style protein and carbs.
We’re enjoying this glimpse into the summer life of tree planters – important people to the future of our forests.
Smooth Talkin' 
Just curious, who should I contact if I would like to plant trees next year in this region?
Hi Celeste, you should check out tree-planter.com or hardcoretreeplanters.com – they both have lists of tree planting companies across Canada, and are good resources for other questions about tree planting.
Brinkman is one company. So is Heritage. Jobs are still available thru the season.