Afforestation, the planting of trees on abandoned or under-utilized agricultural lands, has occurred to varying degrees in Ontario since the turn of the 20th century. Knowledge of plantation establishment techniques has been gained through experience and experimentation, and has been relatively well documented. At the turn of the 21st century, the level of tree planting reached a several decade low, resulting in the loss of some on-the-ground expertise.

The forestry and related communities recognized this deficiency, and began to actively pursue the revitalization of afforestation efforts in the province. The Ontario Forestry Association was in the forefront of these efforts. Subsequently in 2003, the Canadian Forest Service of Natural Resources Canada announced the Forest 2020 Plantation Demonstration and Assessment initiative, which has the objectives of establishing fast-growing plantations on agricultural lands to assess climate change mitigation, and private sector investment potential. (See Appendix I for Forest 2020 site and species eligibility)

With this renewed interest in afforestation came the recognition that both seasoned practitioners and those new to the endeavour would value a current compilation of knowledge on the subject.

Intended Audience and Scope
Methods for growing, planting and tending plantations are continually evolving, and the need was identified for an up-to-date reference guide that brings this knowledge under one cover. This guide has been written to assist forest practitioners, community-based organizations and landowners in undertaking afforestation in Ontario. In general, the guide will provide a set of ‘best practices’ for establishing and tending fast-growing tree species within an afforestation context in Ontario.

The information herein is not intended to be a comprehensive compendium, but rather an overview of the many considerations required to ensure successful plantation establishment. Readers are encouraged to consult the literature in the references and seek advice from local professionals before implementing site and silvicultural plans. Forest plantation establishment is costly; careful advance planning will help ensure it is done properly the first time, yielding a healthy forest and quickly returning the desired benefits to the landowner.

The guide emphasizes fast-growing native and non-native species and clones, but the techniques described apply generally to any species. Given the variety of species and site conditions found across Ontario, readers are encouraged to consult with local organizations having tree planting expertise before embarking on a plantation project.

We thank the following individuals for their valuable contributions: Barb Boysen, Laura Challen, Gilles Chantal, Gaëtan Daoust, Graeme Davis, Rudy Dyck, John Enright, Rick Grillmayer, Art Groot, Ed Iskra, Dan McKenney, John Oatway, Doug Pitt, Dave Pridham, Scott Reid, Robert Sajan, Rod Smith, Laurie Thompson, Upper Lakes Environment Research Network and Adam Zulinski.

We also extend thanks to Karen Jamieson for editing and Mark Primavera for graphic design and layout.

Mention of trade names or products does not constitute endorsement by the authors, the editors, the publisher, the Canadian government, or other sponsoring agencies