Maintenance and stewardship
The maintenance and stewardship plan should be discussed and planned out at the first site visit. Once you have evaluated the needs of the growing forest for ongoing maintenance, you should plan ahead for the person or groups responsible for carrying out the maintenance. Access can affect maintenance as well, so plan to keep access open to the planted area. The person or group responsible for maintaining the forest is usually the landowner, the planting agency who planted the trees, the land manager or hired help. The level of maintenance and ongoing stewardship needed for the growing forest can vary just as much as the planting prescription, and depends on a variety of factors including:
species of the trees planted
stock size of tree at time of planting
wildlife presence in the area
competing vegetation
local environmental factors
planting prescription, spacing and arrangement
long-term goals for the forest
FireSmart planning
Activities
Tending activities can include: watering the newly planted trees if available, chemical herbicide treatments of competition as needed, thinning, mowing or bush hogging around the trees, mulching, installation of fencing, rodent guards or tree shelters, and use of wildlife repellent.
Reaching Free-to-Grow
Forests commonly reach free-to-grow status 5-8 years after planting. Each region in Canada will have its own stocking standards and determination of free- to-grow status. Refilling may be necessary during the early stages; filling in mortality gaps with the species who are observed to be doing the best on the site is recommended as needed.
