Long days of dirty, arduous work full of hungry mosquitoes, baking heat, drenching rain.
The tree-planting world is no picnic, but 100 Mile House’s Deanna Williamson is ready for a second demanding, yet rewarding season in the wild British Columbia Interior, planting “the forest of tomorrow.”
Growing quality forests is an important part of the South Cariboo economy. The 19-year-old started working for a Williams Lake reforestation company as a rookie last summer. Tree planters are paid by the seedling.
They cover many kilometres of remote terrain every day, bending over and driving shovels into the earth hundreds of times every hour. Good, veteran planters can put between 2,000 and 4,000 into the ground every day. They sleep in camps at night.
It’s a world that’s hard to describe, Williamson says. People have to see it for themselves.
“I had no idea how physically and mentally hard the job would be,” she says, adding she tries to make the best of it.
“When you become a tree planter, you become part of a tribe, a culture, a lifestyle. I’m both excited and nervous to return. If you go into it with a positive attitude, it will make a huge impact on what your reality is when you’re doing it.”
Most of the tree planting in the Interior happens between late April and late June. It’s a unique job Williamson can see herself doing for years to come.
“By planting, I am able to earn enough money to support myself. If I want to go to school, I am able to put money away for school. If I want to travel, I am able to go and travel.
“I don’t know what my future holds, but at least I can say I planted the forest of tomorrow.”
