Get Familiar
FAQ
New Planter Frequently Asked Questions
This page is necessary reading before applying with Next Gen as a New Planter. If you have never planted trees in Canada before,
please scroll and read through the following FAQs, then apply!
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There is a lot of information here, but all is relevant to you as a new applicant!
QUESTION: What is Camp Like?
QUESTION: Do we supply our own tent and sleeping bags? How about planting bags and shovels?
Next Gen operates mainly out of remote bush camps, like the one shown in the video above.
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You are responsible for bringing your own personal sleeping arrangement, such as a tent, camper, etc., for the summer.
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For Planting gear itself, we have enough new items for our new planters in camp. You can purchase them from us upon your arrival. The deduction will come off of one of your first pay cheques.
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QUESTION: What is a day like Treeplanting?
QUESTION: How much can I expect to make in a first year?
Please see our Earnings information pages for 2023 and 2024.
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Because the learning curve to the job is steep, your first year is typically spoken of as an investment into future years. Check out the difference between the season earnings between 1st and 2nd-year planters.
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QUESTION: What is the minimum age?
Next Gen requires applicants to be minimum 19 years of age.
QUESTION: Can I start late or come only for June/July in my first year?
No. There is new planter training at the start of the season. It is crucial to your and the camp's success to be available and present for this.
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There are small exceptions for people who have friends willing to thoroughly train them. These exceptions need to be approved by the Project Manager.
QUESTION: Do I require a SIN number or Work Visa?
You require a valid Work Visa and SIN number to work with Next Gen - before - applying.
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We require a 2 years of eligibility for new planters.
QUESTION: What are the work hours and schedules? Is it Monday to Friday?
Typically, breakfast is available between 6-7 am and trucks leave for work at 7:00 am sharp.
The length of the work day varies according to distance and accessibility of the block (worksite). Typical workdays would go until 5:30 pm on the block and have planters back in camp for supper by 6:30.
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Our typical shift schedule is 3 days on, one day off.
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QUESTION: Is there internet in camp?
Yes, we have Starlink in camps. They are not 100% reliable, but it is better than it has ever been.
QUESTION: Is there food in Camp? How does it work for days off?
Heck yes! Check out this Cook Video describing the Kitchen Staff's Day. There are two hot buffets each workday with plentiful, beautiful food. With breakfast, there is a lunch table where you pack your own lunch. You need to bring your own Tupperware for your lunch.
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All of our planters are charged a Camp Cost, which helps us cover some of our food costs. Camp cost on planting days is $25. Camp cost on days off is $15,
QUESTION: Is pay regular?
We pay by direct deposit, every two weeks.
QUESTION: How does Transportation to start the season and between camps work?
At the beginning of the season, Project Managers will provide a meeting point or pick up place and time. Planters are responsible for reaching this site independently. We can help with finding carpool or providing bus line information, etc!
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After the initial season meeting, Next Gen can cover all transportation to the end of the season. That includes: to and from worksites everyday from Camp and between Camps for moves. Days off, there are rides to the nearest town. Although, sometimes space for town runs is limited and cannot accommodate every person in camp.
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At the end of the season, transportation to your next destination of choice is on you! We will get people to the nearest town with transportation at the end of their work.
QUESTION: I have a personal vehicle, can it be brought to camps?
Yes! We camp off of Forest Service Roads mostly. These roads are passable by most vehicles. We do not have any fully remote camps with no road access. However, the quality of road varies greatly and some smaller vehicles do not fair well. It has not stopped people from bringing small cars in, however. It is your decision.
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Please note, that gravel and bush road driving requires extra precautions and a great reduction in speed. Your personal vehicle, unless an off-road vehicle, is not designed for this kind of driving. Be prepared and ready to drive patiently, safely and follow Forest Service Road norms.
QUESTION: Is there cell reception in camp and on the blocks (worksites)?
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It depends, sometimes yes, and often, no.
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If there’s no cell reception, what we can guarantee is that everyone will know where the closest whisp of a signal is.
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QUESTION: What makes Next Gen different from other companies?
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There is one significant difference from an operations standpoint.
Most companies have fixed crews. Example, one crewboss would staff the same group of 5-11 planters everyday, for the entire season. The camp would be comprised of 4-5 of these small, fixed crews.
Next Gen has camps of 40-50 planters but the crews are flexible within each camp. So, each planter works with different field staff over the course of the season.
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We like this flexibility because it increases the efficiency for both planters and the operation as a whole. For example, if a small block is only 10,000 trees, we don’t have to send a full crew there. We can send the appropriate number of planters there to give them a full day of work. Giving planters a full day of work on one block is always the goal, because every time you have to move a block, it’s time spent not planting trees. And if you’re not planting trees you’re not making money.
Another benefit of flexible crews is that planters have the opportunity to work with and be mentored by different field staff. Some planters and staff work better together, and we can accommodate that whenever possible.
QUESTION: Can I bring my dog?
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Maybe.
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Our camps are dog-friendly, but we have strict guidelines around permitting additional 4-legged friends. Please bring it up in your interview and we’ll discuss it from there.
QUESTION: Do you cook for people with food preferences (vegetarian & vegan), allergies and intolerances?
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Yes, within reason. We wouldn’t cater to those who entertain the Carnivore Diet. A Raw Food Vegan would also be a no-go.
We typically have a handful vegetarian and vegan folks at each camp. Our cooks do well at providing adequate protein rich choices for them.
Our cooks can accommodate for those with food allergies. All severe allergies should be mentioned in your job interview so that we can discuss how best to meet your needs.
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QUESTION: When does the season start and finish?
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Our 2025 season will start for most crews in late April and finish by Aug 1st.
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Please keep in mind that our start date is weather dependent. We will monitor the early spring snow melt and ground thaw conditions to make our best guess to when we can start planting trees. We typically firm-up the start date one month out, to ensure everyone has ample opportunity to make travel arrangements.
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QUESTION: I’m in school and I’m not sure of my exam schedule yet. What if my last exam is after our crew start date?
This is something to mention in the interview and we’ll discuss it from there. We absolutely make exceptions to allow students to arrive late. It’s something that has to be arranged ahead of time in coordination with your Project Manager.
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QUESTION: I don’t know how to plant. Will someone teach me?
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Yes!
We highly encourage you to learn as much as you can before arriving to the start of the season. Planting trees isn’t rocket science but there is a learning curve to it. The more you know ahead of time, the quicker you can get the hang of it. That means more money for you, faster!
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We train our new planters in a group, over the course of a few days. Once new planers gain some competency, they are moved to crews and dispersed amongst the experienced planters.
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The more formal, group training period may last only a few days, but you’ll be mentored through your entire first season by field staff and experienced planters on the crew. The process of skill acquisition is ongoing as you will learn different techniques to adapt to working different landscapes, weather conditions, and mental obstacles.
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QUESTION: I’m paid per tree… right?
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Yes. Tree planting is piece work, which means you’re paid per tree planted.
For those who are new to the job, when you first start, you won’t be planting enough trees to earn minimum wage. And so instead of being paid the tree price, your training wage is the minimum wage of the province you’re in.
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For 2025, the minimum wage in BC is $17.40/hour and Alberta is $15.00/hour.
Once you plant enough trees to earn more than minimum wage in a day, you’re paid the tree price.
For example: You’re working in BC where the minimum wage is $17.40/hour. Your days are 8 hours long and the tree price is 17 cents.
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In an 8-hour training workday, you’d earn $139.20 on minimum wage.
You’d have to plant at least 847 trees to total more than minimum wage and earn the tree price.
Earning more than minimum wage is often the first goal of our first-year planters.
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QUESTION: How long will it take me to get off minimum wage?
It’s variable between a few days and a few weeks. Some folks acquire planting skills faster than others. This is where your pre-season training becomes beneficial!
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QUESTION: How many workdays will I have in the season?
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Our 2025 season will be about 75 workdays.
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QUESTION: Do you have laundry services in camp?
No. We use laundromats at the nearest town on our days off.
QUESTION: What’s the ratio of gals to guys in camp?
We aim for equal representation, but our crews have a higher proportion of guys. The exact ratio fluctuates every season but it’s somewhere between 25-40 % women.
We have annual crew photos posted on our Instagram account that demonstrates our diversity.
QUESTION: How many new planters are in each camp every season?
Planter turnover varies from year to year but we typically have at least 10 new planters join each camp every season.
QUESTION: Is planting dangerous? There are bears out there, right??
There are bears and other wildlife who live in the areas we camp and work in. Our stance is one of being informed about them and respecting that we are visiting their home. Being informed means that we incorporate wildlife safety into our preseason orientation and regular safety meetings. We have policies in place that mitigate the risks to our employees; we avoid working alone. We respect all wildlife by packing out all our garbage from every camp and worksite. Food garbage can be especially problematic if left behind.
You will see bears and other wildlife and most of the time, it’s from the comfort and safety of a truck driving to/from the worksite.
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Please also see TREEPLANTING 101 and WHAT IS TREEPLANTING