r/treeplanting • • Jan 27 '24

ANNOUNCEMENT Rookies/New Members READ HERE BEFORE POSTING

20 Upvotes

NOTE: This is NOT a subreddit for gardening/planting trees on your property. This is a subreddit about Industrial Silviculture Tree-Planting where we plant seedlings and get paid per tree that we plant in mass quantities across Canada and the globe. Please visit r/gardening r/trees or r/marijuanaenthusiasts for your questions about planting trees on your property. This is not the place and your post will be removed.

Please see the tabs at the top of the subreddit to see if you can find what you're looking for before posting. For rookies consult the Rookie Tab and see if you can find an answer there, or use the tree planting archive to search for the New Planter/Rookie question flair to see if the question has been asked already in the past month.

The Company directory tab leads to companies ranked into three different tiers and each title is a hyperlink that should lead to their company website (note that some companies do not have websites). We have also compiled all the threads discussing these companies which you can also visit and read about. Feel free to make new posts asking for reviews on a specific company you are thinking of working for. It is highly encouraged to do so as this helps planters understand how a company currently is, old reviews could be inaccurate.

We also have a MEGATHREAD for company reviews. It is linked in the directory, but the megathread is also a valuable resource for finding the inside scoop on companies from years past.

The resources tab is useful to members who might be trying to decide whether to go planting. It contains many resources and documentaries on Tree-Planting.

We do not tolerate bigotry, hate speech, doxxing etc. in this subreddit and users who engage in such activities will be banned.

Also please try to use the appropriate flairs when you make your post. It creates more work for the mods if you do not. If you have a suggestion for a needed flair please reach out, we will consider it based on the need for it.

If you need to reach out to the mod team, please do so. We appreciate having you all here and hope we can effect some change through our discussion here.

Cheers,

Mod Team


r/treeplanting • • May 22 '25

ANNOUNCEMENT Before You Drop $24 on a Guide, Here’s What Planting Actually Pays

217 Upvotes

HELLO, curious scrollers (especially our new friends from south of the border).

We’ve noticed a recent surge in international traffic to the subreddit—hi, Americans—and along with it, a wave of curiosity about tree planting as a profession.

Let’s address the root cause: a certain Instagram account (no, we’re not giving it a plug) that’s selling a dream—and a hefty $24 guide—about making $80K CAD in four months, living in luxury, and pocketing $500–$800 a day in the woods.

Yeah. About that.

This post is here to gently dismantle those fantasy figures and offer a realistic perspective on the job.

THE MONEY TALK

Realistic Daily Earnings: There are no official stats, but most planters report around $300–$400/day. Ontario, the Maritimes, and coastal BC generally trend lower; Alberta and BC’s interior can be higher.

Camp & Company Variance: Some Ontario gigs? Brutal—$200–$250/day. Meanwhile, certain BC camps average $600+. The spread depends on company overhead, terrain, and experience levels of veteran planters.

Minimum Wage Baseline: Let’s do some math. Minimum wage in Canada (depending on province) works out to about $180–$200/day for an 11-hour shift—the typical planter’s workday, portal to portal. So yes, most planters are earning more than minimum wage… but not necessarily by a massive margin.

And for a job that involves daily physical punishment, remote living, gear costs, and 6,000-calorie workdays? You’d hope the pay would blow minimum wage out of the water. If this industry wants to attract and retain quality workers, the compensation needs to match the grind. Right now, it’s often flirting with the line between noble labour and underpaid masochism.

$800/day or higher? Could it happen? Sure—for the top 5–10% of planters. These folks are cranking out trees like machines though. It’s possible, but it’s not typical.

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (EI)

Yes, some planters collect EI in the offseason. That’s legal—if you’re actively looking for work. If you’re just chilling at home, mixing beats in your bedroom and calling it a job hunt, you’re gaming the system. It doesn’t reflect the reality for most of us.

THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS

This part Instagram definitely leaves out: Gear: You pay for all your equipment—bags, shovels, boots, the works. Expect to drop $1,000 per season, unless you’re thrifty.

Travel: You’re footing the bill to get to the worksite.

Camp Costs: Planters usually pay $25–$30/day for food, shelter, and heat. That’s right—you pay to live in a tent while doing this job. There’s no cushy per diem like other remote workers enjoy.

THE PHYSICAL REALITY

Tree planting is no joke. As I said before, we’re talking 6000+ calories burned per day, rain or shine, bugs or blisters. It’s an endurance sport, not a weekend wellness retreat. Planters often suffer from tendonitis, bruising, allergic reactions, trench foot and plain old EXHAUSTION while planting 500-6000 trees PER DAY depending on the terrain. So yeah—the pay is solid. But we earn every cent with sweat, soreness, and the occasional soul-crushing plot.

FOR OUR NON-CANADIAN FRIENDS

Thinking of hopping the border or crossing an ocean to join our merry gang? First off, welcome. Second, a reality check: You must have a valid Canadian work visa to be hired. No exceptions. No, companies will not sponsor you. Tree planting companies already deal with enough chaos (weather delays, bears, broken trucks, etc.)—they’re not equipped to navigate immigration paperwork too.

If you’re serious about coming here to work, sort out your visa situation before applying. Otherwise, you’re just clogging up inboxes and disappointing everyone, including yourself.

WRAPPING IT UP

If you’re genuinely curious about becoming a tree planter—awesome. You’ll find real guidance and camaraderie right here on this subreddit.

But please, don’t make life decisions based on the shiny promises of an Instagram influencer selling a dream for $24.

Also, all the best advice? It’s already here. And it’s free. In the sidebar, and existing guides like this one.

I’ll add supporting links in the comments later.

Stay safe out there folks.

Cheers,

Orlock & the Mod Team (still not planting in luxury condos)


r/treeplanting • • 1d ago

New Planter/Rookie Questions Question about wasp

6 Upvotes

I’m not allergic to wasp or bees and I really want to do planting and I’m willing to cope with the idea of being stung but man am I scared I’m not an outdoors person but I’ve always wanted to be in a hard worker and ready to face challenges but sometimes when I face hard fears like wasp I just get stuck and I want to find ways to get better with it I’m pushing myself everyday to better myself to be ready for planting and I pray I get hired anywhere for my first season but the main thing I’m asking is how bad are the wasp do I have to work into July or could I just do April may June like how does that work regarding how long I stay. I know wasp start to get bad around July and summer and going into fall which I don’t plan to plant then, are most companies going to make you stay into July?


r/treeplanting • • 2d ago

Gear/ Planting Paraphanelia Boots. Anyone tried these Hoffmans?

Post image
11 Upvotes

r/treeplanting • • 2d ago

Company Reviews Vet companies

8 Upvotes

Worked two year with summit. Looking for recommendations for better veteran companies in BC or AB any recommendations?


r/treeplanting • • 3d ago

Company Reviews Company Review: Perfect Storm

32 Upvotes

I worked this fall with Perfect Storm Reforestation.

Accommodations were fairly nice (BnB/Motel). Prices and daily earnings had a very wide range from contract to contract; averaged out to very good I'd say. There were 20-ish days to the fall plant and we had 3 very different contracts in there: urban planting in Calgary, planting ranch land in southern Alberta, and a little lease site plant at the end.

Experienced planters on the crew and chill vibes. Mostly late 20's, seemed to be a good set up for couples. Pretty small operation this fall (9 planters) but I think the owner plans to scale up a little bit next year.

Perfect Storm is still fairly new and there are some growing pains in how they run things. However, the owner is very present, aware of those challenges, and is actively working to improve the company.

Overall, I was quite impressed with my time at Perfect Storm (especially since it was a fall plant). If you like some variety in your season, want to be around a slightly more mature crowd, are interested in a longer season, and you're looking for those small company perks I highly recommend Perfect Storm.


r/treeplanting • • 3d ago

Company Reviews Belgian forestry worker looking for advice on choosing a company for my first Canadian planting season

7 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I'm a 27-year-old Belgian forestry worker, and I've been working in the forestry sector for around 4–5 years. I'm now self-employed, mainly doing forestry-related work in Belgium.

I've always dreamed of doing at least one tree planting season in Canada, and I'm finally looking into making it happen this year.

I've already done quite a lot of planting in Belgium (also for a few months in Iceland), so I'm not new to physical forestry work, but obviously I have no Canadian tree planting experience. This brings me to my first question: would I still be considered a rookie, and should I apply for rookie positions despite my previous planting experience?

I'm mainly looking at British Columbia. I'd love to experience some challenging (mountainous) terrain and see a different side of forestry (here, planting) from what I'm used to in Belgium.

One of my main concerns is choosing the right company. I've checked out some of the resources and previous posts on this subreddit, which are definitely helpful, but there's a lot to go through, and it's still difficult to get a clear picture of what different companies are actually like. From what I've gathered, choosing the right company can make a huge difference to your overall experience.

Here's what I'm looking for:

  • Bush camps: Since I'm coming all the way from Belgium specifically to experience Canadian tree planting, I'd really like to spend the season in proper remote bush camps rather than motels or camps based in town.
  • A safe and genuinely inclusive work environment: A queer-friendly and women-friendly company is a must for me. I'm a straight white guy myself, but I really care about working somewhere where people are treated with respect. Racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and similar bullshit are absolute deal-breakers for me. I'm fine with people having different political opinions, but discrimination and bigotry are a HARD NO.
  • A good balance between work and partying: I enjoy having a few drinks and partying from time to time, but I'm primarily there to work. I'd prefer a crew that knows how to have fun without turning every night into a massive party. I've heard some stories about some bush camps basically being an absolute "nightclub" every night, which is totally fine, but not for me; I would probably die of social anxiety after a few weeks if I were expected to party every night.
  • Challenging planting conditions: I'm interested in experiencing tougher terrain and remote areas in BC. That's part of what attracts me to planting in Canada: experiencing a REAL difference compared to my planting seasons in Belgium.

I've come across All Stars, for example, and it initially looked like it might be a good fit. However, I've also heard that they often operate out of motels or camps in town rather than remote bush camps, which makes me a little less interested.

So, which companies would you recommend looking into, given these priorities? I'd especially appreciate firsthand experiences regarding camp life, crew culture, inclusivity, and how seriously safety is taken.

If any of you have any questions about forestry work in Belgium and/or Europe, feel free to ask :)


r/treeplanting • • 4d ago

Company Reviews Anyone planted for Bushwhackers?

11 Upvotes

How was the season with Bushwhackers Forestry in Nova Scotia? How were earnings, how were vibes?


r/treeplanting • • 6d ago

Location/Contract Specific Review Considering planting tress in Australia, what should I expect?

8 Upvotes

Hi,

I'm considering applying for one of these tree planting jobs. Just wondering from those have done it before, what to expect?

How many trees did you plant in week 1, week 2, week 3? how long did it take you to get to your average? and how much did you make in a season?

Lastly, I realise I'm no spring-chicken, but how would a 40yo go doing this?


r/treeplanting • • 8d ago

Treemes/Photos/Videos/Art/Stories Little guy was probably trying to hide from radio music too tbh

589 Upvotes

r/treeplanting • • 7d ago

Treemes/Photos/Videos/Art/Stories I don’t want to work KM 19 anymore

11 Upvotes

r/treeplanting • • 7d ago

Camp/Motel Life Most beautiful or favourite bush camp in your career

15 Upvotes

Per the title, let’s hear some of the best bush camp locations you have been to and why.


r/treeplanting • • 8d ago

Location/Contract Specific Review Off Season in the UK 🇬🇧

6 Upvotes

Done two seasons in BC and graduating uni this year. I'm thinking of working through the off season in the UK, which is something I've heard you can do on account of them not getting a proper winter over there. Anyone done this before and got advice? I found a youth mobility visa to get me there and there were plenty of contracts posted on KKR for this years season. But what kind of kit do I need? Will I need a car to get around? Any good companies to look for or bad ones to avoid?


r/treeplanting • • 9d ago

Location/Contract Specific Review Treeplanting in Indonesia

10 Upvotes

Anyone aware of any reforestation projects happening in Indonesia, perhaps wildfire recovery in Borneo (Kalimantan Province) or elsewhere? Looking to see if there’s any opportunities on that side of the world, paid or unpaid.

My background: 4 year planting in BC, alongside a variety of post season forestry work, brushing, wildfire, surveying, etc


r/treeplanting • • 9d ago

Gear/ Planting Paraphanelia Using empty PET bottles as Tree Planting Plugs.

0 Upvotes

Is it possible to use empty PET bottles as a tree planting plug?

The bottle will be filled with water Gell balls at the bottom by the screw cap, then lined with planting medium, seeds, and starter fertilizer, then top soil.. before actually planting, the sides will be punched with holes to allow initial root expansion and water capture in the soil.

These will be planted in rows, with a team that drills holes, another to plug, and a third in a vehicle with trays of planter plugs.

This can be automated with a drone on tracks.

Question is, is it possible to also airdrop these into somewhat soft muddy soil, with the only modification is putting fins to keep the screw cap and neck pointed downwards? Another modification is replacing the bottle cap with some conical cap to allow soil penetration.


r/treeplanting • • 13d ago

Dreams of Escape Transitioning to trades

23 Upvotes

Thinking of starting my exit plan. I finally make good money now after many years of and many trees later. I find with the technique and efficiency that I've honed over the years that I almost consider tree-planting to be a trade itself. Along with the meritocratic nature and summer camp vibes of our world, I find it very hard to leave to become a tradie. But who knows? Might be the stable boring responsible option


r/treeplanting • • 16d ago

Treemes/Photos/Videos/Art/Stories '95 coastal planting

Post image
469 Upvotes

Good times, good ground. Near Rivers Inlet.


r/treeplanting • • 16d ago

General/Miscellaneous at the dump in Fredericton NB

Thumbnail
gallery
27 Upvotes

kind of disappointing


r/treeplanting • • 15d ago

Location/Contract Specific Review planting in Scandinavia/Europe?

7 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m looking for tree planting(or anything else interesting) work in Europe, mainly Scandinavia, i mean i would prefer english speaking crew . I’ve got 3 seasons of tree planting experience in Australia.

Does anyone know of any companies hiring planters or where would be a good place to look?

i have been on the road for last 10 years and happy to continue.

I am from Slovakia, 39M, ready to pack and book flight tonight!

Thanks!


r/treeplanting • • 16d ago

Planters Seeking Work 2 season planter + remote field/core tech looking for solid winter work ($/contracts). Willing to travel anywhere

7 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

Will post in KKR which seems like a better place for this kind of posts, but throwing a feeler here first.

I know timing isn’t the best, but I had a sudden change of circumstances that’s forcing me to seek opportunities outside my home city. So if any of you guys here know of any for high earning fall/winter work between now and the end of December/January I would really appreciate a lead. Open to anything physical and high output that pays properly.

A bit about me: I’m an ex planter who planted for two seasons and had a stint working up north in remote field tech contracts (core cutting/handling etc..) Solid physical stamina, haven’t worked in freezing temperatures to be honest but I try to be outdoors on all seasons so when properly dressed I don’t mind any weather. Valid full driver’s licence, clean record, Based in Ontario, but ready to fly or drive anywhere on short notice (BC, AB, Northern ON, Territories). Have been to the territories and west coast for work so the terrain isn’t new to me.

Thank you, and happy Halloween in advance.


r/treeplanting • • 17d ago

Employment PLANTERS WANTED Planting Adjacent Indoor Farm Job Offer

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m an ex-planter (2018-2020 with Coast Range Contracting, RIP) and I'm looking to add a member to our great indoor farm team. Please DM this account if you're interested! Here is the official job description:

Job Offer: Leafy Greens Harvester (Full-Time)
Tulsi Farm, Marché Central, Montreal, QC

Tulsi Farm is looking for a motivated individual for a full-time role almost entirely focused on harvesting leafy greens (lettuce, herbs, etc.). If you enjoy manual, precise, and repetitive work, and take pride in seeing the direct results of your effort, this position is for you!

Main Responsibilities

Harvest leafy greens (≈90% of the time) in line with Tulsi's quality standards Keep work areas clean and organized Occasionally help with supporting tasks: germination, cleaning, order preparation

Position Details

Position type: Full-time, permanent Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7AM to 3PM (40 hours/week) Wage: $20/hour Location: Marché Central, Montreal

About Us
We grow exceptional edible leaves with precision and care, crafted for some of the best restaurants in Canada. We're looking for someone reliable, detail-oriented, and motivated to join our small, tight-knit team that values quality and good work done together.


r/treeplanting • • 22d ago

Company Reviews How was everyone’s season with Nextgen?

25 Upvotes

Now that we’ve all calmed down. Let’s have an open discussion about it:)


r/treeplanting • • 24d ago

Treemes/Photos/Videos/Art/Stories Didn't think I'd be meme crafting after work tonight, but here we are

154 Upvotes

r/treeplanting • • 24d ago

New Planter/Rookie Questions Queer tree planters unite

5 Upvotes

So I'm planning to apply for the 2028 season, I'll be 28 then. I'm a queer woman. So how fucked is that gonna be for me?

  1. Im expecting camp is mostly men, is this true

  2. Assuming camps are mostly straight, is this true?

  3. Assuming camps are mostly conservative, is this true?

  4. Heard the median ages are 22-24, is this true?

Adding a question

  1. Are camps predominantly white folks?

    Also, I wanna bring my dog w me, what're folks experiences w dogs at the camps?

& Is there anyway to get the $30/ day fee waived -- helping w breakfast n dinner, trash pickups, etc. Or is that fee pretty inescapable

I'd also be sleeping in my car.

Thank you SO much!


r/treeplanting • • 25d ago

New Planter/Rookie Questions Average age of planters.

4 Upvotes

Hi, I'm 24 and have never planted trees before. Just finishing up teachers college this year, and would be interested in tree planting as a way of making money during the off season. Would I be entering this field at the upper range of ages? I see all this talk about community and friendships, and just hoping I'm not too late to the party lol.