Seasonal Reforestation Jobs

Reforestation is some of the most important conservation work done anywhere. Re-establishing healthy forests is necessary not only for future timber supplies, but for healthy watersheds, adequate wildlife habitat, topsoil preservation, and improved air quality.
If not for the legions of seasonal tree planters who spend their summers planting, shading, and pruning seedlings in last year’s clearcuts, America’s depleted forest; indeed, they might never recover.

Reforestation work is a lot more than digging holes and planting trees.

The process involves all of the details of setting up and managing a full-fledged outdoor work camp. For example, someone has to set up and maintain camp, roads, and vehicles. Other employees collect seed-bearing cones, work in nurseries, plant saplings, build shading shelters for saplings, thin young stands, cut off limbs on older trees, and clean out streams.

Pay depends on the kind of work being performed. Because most reforestation work is done for the government by private contractors, the Department of Labor imposes minimum wage requirements. If you’re working on private land, these don’t necessarily apply, so be sure to ask. Some employers choose to pay more than the amount required, but most stick to the government minimums, which are pretty generous.