The Tools of the Trade: Part Two

In my last post I went over just a few of the items you'll need to have a successful tree planting contract. Now I want to finish off the list by going through some of the clothing and other items you'll want to have.

Everything I brought my first year

1. The proper attire
Clothing can be a personal choice with a planter, but all outfits have one thing in common: they're going to get dirty, torn apart and ruined forever. Value Village is a tree planter's paradise. That's where we load up on old tee shirts, over sized sweaters, toques and wool socks. Oh, and keep an eye out for long underwear. Not only can you wear it at the beginning of your contract when it will be below zero in the mornings, when it warms up you can wear them under a pair of shorts to keep the bugs and underbrush from slicing up your legs! I recommend two to three pairs, as they start to smell after a week.

2. Duct tape
Nothing comes in handier at a tree planting camp than duct tape. fix tent holes, fix clothing holes, fix any holes really. It can also be wrapped around the fingers of your planting hand, the hand you use to put the tree into the ground, giving you some protection and a better grip on the tree. Bring a roll or two, it always comes in handy.

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3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE refers to safety reflective vests and helmets. These are required by law in Ontario and Alberta, although in British Columbia the rules are much less strict. PPE vests and helmets can be found at any construction equipment store, and are not very expensive. As long as they are safety approved you can use them.

4. Miscellaneous 
This refers to the host of small items you'll want. Just briefly I'll put down a list of some things to think about taking.

• A knife
• Rope
• Spare tent pegs
• plates and utensils 
• Large water jug (8 litres recommended)
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Spare shovel handle 

Hopefully this list gives you an idea of what you'll need should you ever find yourself in a planter's shoes (or boots). And be sure to bring something to do on your days off. A fishing rod, books, some music or even board games are all fantastic when you don't have to work. Once you've gone once you have a pretty good idea of what to bring the next time, should you choose to plant trees again, and you might think of something to bring that I failed to mention.

Tools of the Trade, Part One

Congratulations! You've been hired to plant trees this summer and will now commit to spend two months in the middle of the woods somewhere far away from the rest of humanity. Now what are you going to pack? Here's a list of some of the important items that you'll want to take with you. I'm only covering the main necessities in this post, next week I will post a second list.

Left: Boots before 2014 season. Right: Boots after 2014 season

1. Steel-toe boots.  During a tree planting contract you'll be wearing them almost the entire time. They must have steel toes by law, since half of the job requires you to stomp on the base of your trees to ensure they are planted firmly and won't get washed away by rain. They should also be waterproof. Guaranteed you'll be walking through puddles or mud almost every day. The best boots I ever had were chainsaw boots, designed for lumberjacks. They're 100 per cent waterproof and will last the whole contract for sure. Below are the boots I bought in 2014, just steel toed hiking boots. By the end of week two the hole you see in the right photo had already started. When water gets in your boots your whole day is ruined. DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON BOOTS. They are your best friends in the woods.

My shovel and bags that I've used for two contracts

2. Shovel and bags. A tree planter's weapons. Virtually all planters use the same standard bags and shovels. The shovel is about 34 inches long, but can be shortened easily, which many veteran planters do. They come with either a wide spade or a thin one. I recommend the thin blade, but it really comes down to personal preference. The thin spade gives you a lighter shovel which is easier to make a hole with. The wider spade makes a bigger hole, which can be useful but I found it slows me down slightly.
The bags cannot be modified much. They are set up to have two shoulder straps and a waist strap to evenly distribute weight. There are two main bags, one on each hip, which are designed to hold your trees. A small back bag can hold your water bottle, bug spray, and whatever else you want to bring out with you.

Tent City, my home for my first contract. My tent is the second from the right

3.Tent. Yes that's right, you'll be living in a tent for two months. When told that, most people look at me like I'm insane. Maybe so, but I find it almost therapeutic. Either way, if you're going to buy a tent, I suggest buying a larger one. Sure, it takes up more room when you're packing, but keep in mind it's your home now. I've used a four man tent on both of my contracts and I love it. You can store all your belongings in it and there's still plenty of space for you. Again, it's up to you personally, but makes sure your tent is in good shape, and won't let the bugs in. Once the bugs are in, it's game over.

I hope this quick guide to the essentials helps! As I said earlier, I will be posting a second list next week which will cover clothing and other essentials.

The Characteristics of a Tree Planter

 In my first post I talked about the challenges a planter faces every day. Obviously it isn't a job for everyone. You might be wondering what it takes to be a tree planter. What does a planter look like?
It may surprise you that there isn't a certain type of person that goes tree planting. They come in all sizes. Being tall or short has no effect on ones ability to put trees in the ground.
Gender is also irrelevant to ones planting abilities. In fact, many of the best planters I've met are women.
There are some things that all good planters have in common. The first is endurance. It's a difficult  job, so a planter has to be in good shape to keep up. Even if you're only in decent shape, a week or two of planting will give you the endurance you need.
In addition to endurance, a good planter needs determination. If you apply to a job where you'll be living in a tent working hard for two months, you'd better be ready to stick it out rain or shine. It's not easy to keep going, but the rewards are there. I've never felt more accomplished, more proud, than when I put my last tree in the ground and finished my first contract. It's an indescribable feeling, one I'll always remember.
An optimistic attitude will also serve you well.  For a group of men and women doing some of the hardest work in the country, there's remarkably little complaining to be heard. The phrase "shut up and plant" is one you'll hear a lot over the planting season. Whining is poison to a crew. Learn to enjoy yourself, laugh a lot and the job doesn't seem so bad anymore.
Lastly, a planter enjoys life in the outdoors. For two months the closest thing you have to a home is a tent, so you'd better enjoy being outside a lot. Other than that, there's no real set characteristics of a tree planter.