The cold, rainy days have returned, presenting optimal conditions for tree planting in the Pacific Northwest. This winter, Hampton will plant upwards of 6 million trees on the timberlands we manage in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. That’s roughly 3-4 seedlings for every tree we harvest for lumber. And we’re not alone—best management practices and reforestation laws ensure that private forestland owners–both large and small–replant after every harvest to help keep forests green and growing. As a result, roughly 92 million trees are planted in Oregon and Washington each year and another 218 million trees are planted annually in British Columbia.
At Hampton, our silviculture foresters (those who specialize in managing the growth, composition and quality of forests for timber production) hire reforestation crews who walk the land after harvest, planting each seedling by hand. These crews traverse rugged terrain, rain or shine, making sure that each seedling is placed with care and precision. On our lands, we aim to plant 425 young trees per acre, which is more than we hope to see on the landscape in 40-60 years. Why plant so many? Because nature happens. Private timberlands teem with wildlife. Animals like elk and porcupine snack on young trees’ tender shoots. Beavers and bears are also commonplace and utilize young trees for food and shelter. Foresters must also grapple with heat and drought, which can kill or damage seedlings. All timberland owners must work with natural systems, and anticipate future changes as best as possible, to ensure forests re-establish and thrive into the future.
While Pacific Northwest forests have never been static systems, they are facing new conditions that threaten not only long-term ecosystem health but also surrounding communities. Today, the biggest threat to forest health and habitat in the West isn’t logging, it’s wildfire. Surprisingly, reforestation is not yet mandatory on public lands that have been devastated by wildfire. While burned timber can be salvaged to create wood products and prepare the landscape for replanting, the vast majority of the 4 million acres the U.S. Forest Service has identified as in need of reforestation will be left unmanaged. With climate change, invasive species propagation, and competition from other vegetation, it can be difficult for an unmanaged forest to reestablish on the landscape.
With wildfire increasing in the West, it is more important than ever to actively manage our forests to ensure they are as resilient as possible to a changing climate. This planting season, let’s urge our state and federal agencies to prioritize reforestation of burned public lands! Active management is key to a more resilient future for all our forests!
Click here to send a message to state and federal forest managers about the importance of active forest management.
