working with NGR
What we're about
Our planning focus is beyond tree price. It is centered around creating healthy environments where people can thrive.
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Next Generation Reforestation
ACCOUNTABILITY
CLAIRITY
We have mandatory online employee orientation, establishing definition and rules to govern our respectful workplaces.
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Next Gen does their best to keep employees informed with season systems, changes and other pertinent information. We're working to actively improve on the general sentiment in planting where 'no one knows what's going on'. We want you to know, and feel free to participate.
We want to ensure our employees know they can affect change by offering ideas or submitting feedback. Simple ways to connect with us include: speaking with a member of the leadership team (Will, Caitlin or Marchena), Project Managers, members of the JHSC or through respect@nextgenerationreforestation.com
Difficult conversations when things get tough are key. Not always easy, but important.
Accountability is when our core values guide our actions. It's when we do what we say we're going to do.
Some concrete examples are:
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Next Gen has a company wide Joint Health & Safety Committee that meets both in and off season. This allows for meaningful worker participation and transparency.
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We have a Bullying, Harassment & Violence Advisory Committee. This committee intends to provide deliberate, support and follow up with issues that can arrise during seasons between people and groups. This committee includes folks both in leadership at Next Gen, people with backgrounds in counseling and social work and an external Human Resource Professional.
RESPECT & WELLNESS
We understand the toll that an intense planting season puts on individuals. We aim to provide a supportive, respectful environment so that we all finish the season mentally and physically strong.
Some highlights:
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Trained Peer Supporters in camp - supported themselves by Sam, our Mental Health & Wellness Coordinator
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Introduction of a new Employee Development position - facilitating staff training and competencies in both hard and human skills
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Health Care Spending Account for Staff who have been with the company for over 5 seasons
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Ready access to TotalPhysio for Musculo Skeletal Issues and Skylark Counselling services for Mental Health and Dispute Resolution
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Cultural shifts take time, and we are committed to continuing to work towards a respectful work-where-we-live environment where people can leave the season as healthy as they went in.
Many of Next Gen’s Leadership staff have been working together for years, and often decades. Our Project Managers have between 13 and 35 years planting experience. Many of us have committed our lives to planting, we appreciate and do our best to facilitate longevity.
Experienced Staff
Planting Community
You will enjoy working with Next Gen if you are looking for a planting community. We work mainly in bush camps with great food and amenities.
We’re looking for experienced or new planters who are interested in a medium to long term working relationship.
Health, Safety, Wellness
Next Gen collaborates with planters, staff, and managers to create our culture of safety. Our objective is for all employees to understand their role and significance within the crew community. It also means people are held accountable for supporting safety-first decisions.
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We are actively working on having a culture of safety and respect in our work-where-we-live environments. This work is ongoing and progresses with practice, input and continual improvement.
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Winner of the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) Outstanding Achievement in Health & Safety in Silviculture for 2020-2022 (an award looking at a three year time period).
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We have mandatory online employee health & safety orientation. This outlines expectations across crews and individuals. Our hope is to increase the clarity of expectation and comprehension of important safety points.
Through meetings, conversations and feedback surveys, we ensure that all people who work with Next Gen have a voice and the ability to address any areas of concern. You can effect change in policy moving forward. Psychological Safety - where people are safe to learn, provide feedback, ask questions and make mistakes is important to us as an organization.
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2023 saw the introduction of Safe Working Conditions for Weather and Climate factors (such as air quality) and associated Stop Work Conditions - to clarify standards and to help with good, consistent decision making in camps and in the field.
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2022 saw the implementation of a company wide Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) and Respectful Conduct Advisory Committee - both committees continue into 2023/24.
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Next Gen facilitates a Peer Support Network for camps and has Professional Mental Health Support Resources easily accessible to employees.
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One of the 2024 Health, Safety & Wellness goals is to continue work around our Leadership & Staff Team's rest/work balance.
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Next Gen is CORE certified with both BC Forest Safe and Alberta Forest Products Association.
Partnership with Total Physio
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An excellent physiotherapy office out of Smithers, BC, Total Physio is revolutionizing how planters deal with injury. The team at Total Physio has studied planting, its biomechanics and the etiology of its injuries. They have put together wonderful materials on how best to prepare for planting, effective and realistic ergonomics to prevent injuries and how to tape for both relative-rest and prevention of injury. A paragraph is not enough to describe the amazing work they are doing in silviculture.
Next Gen is partnered with Total Physio. In this, we can provide planters with pre-season materials to prepare for the season. Our First Aid Attendants are armed with game-changing taping techniques. Finally, this partnership allows for the ability to Skype with and consult physios in their office. This facilitates accurate diagnoses of problems and accelerates the return to full fitness.
Pre-season preparedness will be an emphasis moving into the 2024 season.
Food
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Next Gen is known in the industry for its food. We have some of the best cooks around, generous portions and wonderful flavours.
Check out our instagram or the photo gallery to get an idea of what there is to offer.
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We are passionate about food and our food budget is among the highest in the industry.
We have camps instead of crews
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Many planting companies are organized in smaller crew units, six or ten packs run by one foreman.
However, Next Gen does not have fixed crews. We organize planters around available trees. This maximizes productivity and efficiency.
Every morning there is a truck board, similar to the one shown here, letting you know your location, transportation and field staff for the day.
2024 Season Details
Our 2024 Season will run from late April/early May (weather & contract dependent) to early August. We expect 65+ planting days. It will be a nice length season.
The majority of prices in AB are .14,.15. with higher prices paid as needed, but not as often. Up to .18 for steep raw, roads & piles etc.
BC prices will Range from .17 up to .27.
Prices are all inclusive and vacation & stat will be broken out on tree records and pay stubs.
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For a more well-rounded look at earnings, please click here.
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Experienced Planters will have opportunity to start up in BC contracts and flow into consistent, solid AB work.
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We have two fairly straight forward BC jobs, both near Ft. St. James and one more technical project in the central interior near Cache Creek / Little Fort, BC. Most of our available start spots are near Ft. St. James.
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Alberta work will be in the regions of Grande Prairie, Edson, Manning, Slave Lake and Fairview, Alberta.
These jobs are mainly with long-term direct award clients, with solid earnings in good ground. Good ground here meaning relatively flat and soft for the majority of blocks. The majority of work is in raw blocks with 1-2 species. We have two projects (near GP and Edson) with higher percentages of prepped ground.
Experienced Planter Commitment Bonus *NEW 2024*
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When experienced planters commit to working with us for an entire season, it contributes to Next Gen’s overall success. We want to tie meaningful commitment to working with us with a financial bonus.
Experienced planters who start planting within the first two shifts will receive a 2.5% total earnings bonus when they finish working with Next Gen.
Experienced planters who work within the first two shifts and plant within their camp’s last shift will receive an additional 2.5% total earnings bonus after finishing work, for a total of 5% total earning bonus
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Experienced planters who work on or before May 31st and plant within their camp’s last shift will receive a 2.5% total earning bonus.
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Equipment Package Option *NEW 2024*
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Getting to planting camp can be expensive. For people needing new equipment (tents, sleeping bags, boots, outerwear), we will work to put together packages for those interested. This will be mainly a benefit to new planters but will be available to anyone interested.
We will work with equipment providers to reduce costs by buying necessary items in larger quantities. This will do two things to decrease the financial burden of start up to planters. We will work to decrease the cost of equipment items, and Next Gen will also front the cost of the gear up front so that a person does not need to have as much money available up front to either start or return planting.
Planters will purchase these items through payroll and will own them thereafter, but they will not need to have as much liquid money to get out to camp.
Camp Costs
(food costs, really*)
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$25 on planting days - an industry standard
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$15 on non-planting days
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Our earnings show both pre and post-camp cost numbers for transparency and understanding.
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In 2023, Camp Cost covered 75% of total company food costs, while the remaining 25% was covered by Next Gen.
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2024 will see an increase to food budgets with no increase to Camp Costs.
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When Planters are in Motels and no food provided, there are no Camp Costs charged.
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Remote Work Allowance
2023 saw the introduction of RWA for planters at Next Gen. Almost all companies do this a little differently, ask us about it! ​​
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