Leaving a legacy that lasts: Perspectives of a tree planter

Each summer, dozens of tree planters are out in the New Brunswick woods, hard at work planting the thousands of trees per day that will make up the future forest.  

For five years, Rebecca Sharp has been part of this team, starting when she was a student. Now Rebecca is the full-time project manager for tree planting in central New Brunswick where she oversees the planting program.

“It was a great way to get outside, earn money to pay for tuition fees and gain valuable experience,” Rebecca said. “From the very start, I realized how much I enjoyed working here – not just because of the work itself, but because of the people and the strong sense of team.”

In the summer of 2024, more than 130 tree planters made up this team. Many, like Rebecca when she started out, are students from areas of study ranging from forestry and engineering to business and healthcare. More than just a summer job to help pay for school, tree planting builds skills in work ethic, problem solving, resilience and team work as well as confidence and leadership.

“Tree planting is a unique type of summer job – one that allows students and young people to leave a lasting legacy,” Rebecca said. “Every tree they plant contributes to the company in many ways for decades to come. It’s a job that challenges you, but also one that gives you something to be proud of at the end of each day.”

The job is demanding, both physically and mentally. Tree planters must be up at the crack of dawn to beat the summer heat and insects. Navigating rough terrain and all sorts of weather conditions, tree planters put in 10 hours per day of physically demanding labour. They are in the constant repetitive motion of stepping, planting a seedling, securing it with soil and starting again at least 2,000 times per day – that’s one seedling planted every six seconds.

But it’s also rewarding. During the 2024 season, the crews planted a total of 18.5 million seedlings – each contributing to a 40-year legacy of growing the working forest for the next generation.

“Tree planting is the foundation of our company – we call ourselves the tree-growing company, and that’s exactly what we are. The trees we plant today will support the future of our value chain,” Rebecca said. “Over time, they become the wood that powers everything from lumber and pulp to tissue and packaging products. It allows us to secure a renewable, responsible supply of raw material that fuels our markets, supports our customers and drives long-term business growth.”

Tree planters play a critical role in J.D. Irving, Limited’s strategy of growing more wood than is harvested, and 2025 is the most ambitious year yet with a planting target of 28 million trees eclipsing previous years’ totals.

“The goal is to cover more ground and get more trees in the ground now, so we have wood to harvest in 35 to 40 years down the line.” Rebecca said. “It’s a long-term investment that supports the future of our operations across the board.”

Learn more about how JDI approaches sustainable forest management in the 2024 J.D. Irving, Limited Forest Supply Chain Climate, Conservation and Community Impact Report: www.jdirvingsustainability.com.