Many people believe a new sapling must be planted to replace every tree that is harvested. This is simply not true. In Québec, more than 80% of the forests regenerate naturally. After logging, the young shoots that were protected during logging are able to grow and develop quickly because they have more room and good exposure to sunlight. However, regeneration may be more difficult on certain sites due to poor soil quality or the tree species concerned. In such cases nature needs a helping hand, in the form of reforestation.
	If very young trees are protected during logging, the forest will be able to regenerate naturally.

Reforestation consists in planting new trees in areas disturbed by insect infestations, forest fires or logging operations, to reconstitute a forest.

Before Reforestation: Choosing the Right Species The cones and fruit of more than thirty softwood and hardwood species are collected in the forests of Québec, from natural trees that are free of insects and disease and in excellent physical condition. The Department also maintains a certain number of sites specifically for the collection of cones and fruit. The cones and fruit are sent to the Centre de semences forestières de Berthier for processing, and the seeds that are extracted are distributed to nurseries throughout Québec for the production of saplings. Generally speaking, the seeds are either returned to their region of origin or used in the same

The Planting Process

1. Site Preparation
   
   

   In many cases the site must be prepared before planting can take place. Scarification is the most common site preparation method. In scarification, a scarifier is used to mix the mineral soil and logging waste with organic matter to produce a richer soil. Because discarded branches and other waste materials are removed, planting is much easier and the growth of competing vegetation is delayed.

2. Reforestation
   

   Reforestation is the term used to refer to the process of planting young seedlings. A spade is used to dig a hole, and a seedling is placed in the hole. The seedlings are carried in bags attached to the planter’s belt. They are usually planted two metres apart, although the distance may vary for certain species.

   
   The seedlings used for reforestation can be divided into two groups, depending on whether they were produced by means of a bare-root or container-based cultivation method.
   
   

   In the bare-root method, the seedlings are grown directly in the ground. When they are removed from the cultivation site, most of the root zone (the soil surrounding the roots, which contains a host of micro-organisms) remains intact. The seedlings therefore recover quickly when planted, since they are able to establish contact with the new soil to obtain the water and nutrients they need to develop.

   In recent years, however, container cultivation methods have gained in popularity for a number of reasons, including high survival rates, ease of planting, higher productivity, short nursery cultivation times (two years instead of four years for the bare-root process), and an extended reforestation period (up to the end of summer).

   
   Large seedlings are used increasingly for reforestation because they have a better chance of overcoming competing vegetation, especially in southern Québec, where it is abundant. They have grown in popularity since 2001, when the use of phytocides was banned in the public forests.
   
   
3. Monitoring and Maintaining Plantations
   
   

   If tree growth is found to be delayed in the years following reforestation due to the presenceof competing vegetation, the stand is mechanically released or weeded.