No COVID-19 Cases Reported During British Columbia’s Seedling Planting Season

The Western Forestry Contractor Association (WFCA) is reporting that summer seedling planting season in British Columbia is in the process of winding down. There are just 20 million fall seedlings out of the 300 million trees planned for this year remaining to be planted. The final planting will begin in late August in BC’s Interior and on the Coast. Of note, to date, there have been no COVID-19 reports across the planting, nursery and forestry sector since the pandemic began. With COVID-19 cases suddenly spiking in B.C., B.C.’s Safe Forestry Advocate Jordan Tesluk, met with contractors, consultants and nursery operators on Friday 8-7 to discuss protocols and practices to keep their crews safe and from infection during the late summer and fall planting season. He is recommending that crews do the same pre-season isolation and follow the same protocols at work that have kept our workers safe so far. Also, of interest is that planting contractors are reporting that many workers just laid off were reluctant to leave the safety and security of their crews and camps. They preferred to stay at work rather than return home to the uncertainties of being unemployed and part of the herd again.