Tony Satellite Crew
HIGHLIGHTS
Satellite Crew will be a tight group of Project Manager, a Crewboss and 12-15 planters. It'll be an efficient machine.
This group will start off working near Nordegg and will move to Crowsnest pass area after. The crew is designed to fill holes. There's a ton of work for 2026 and the crew will work consistently. The crew will be flexible in terms of what contracts they'll work. Outlined below are some likely contracts for the Satellite 'task force'
Nordegg, AB
90% scarified - generally creamy, flat contract
- mainly donarian/mini mounds, x-mounds, drags, trenches
$0.15 - $0.18 cents (mainly $0.15, $0.16)
Blairmore, AB
80% scarified - on a plateau north of town.
- drags, "teeth" a mound/screef-like scarification
Raw ground, 1-2 species
$0.15 - $0.18 cents
Line Restoration work (North Eastern AB)
A unique legacy plant, not a regular cutblock planting. Restoring seismic lines. Some scarification on lines, some raw planting
$160 day rate + $0.18 per tree
Long season, ~ May 8 to mid August
Expecting 4-5 contract locations, with some motel accommodation and some camp accommodation
The Camp's Leadership Team
- Introducing Tony, Project Manager -
2026 will be my 24th season in silviculture. I have approximately 8 seasons of Crew-Bossing experience, 5 seasons of Project Management, and for many years was a high production tree planter across 3 provinces and one state. My management style is aimed at efficiency through cooperation, clear communication, and concise planning. It's my goal to oversee the success of not only the group, but the individuals who will make up the well-oiled machine that is the Satellite Crew.
Looking for experienced planters for the Satellite crew. This crew will need to be versatile, hard working and easily transition between planting types if needed. Looking for 3+ seasons of planting experience.
Applicable Planters
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.
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.
Winner of the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) Outstanding Achievement in Health & Safety in Silviculture for 2021-2023 (an award looking at a three year time period).
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.
Safe Working Guidelines 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.
Maintain a company wide Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) and Respectful Conduct Advisory Committee .
Peer Support Network for camps and has Professional Mental Health Support Resources easily accessible to employees.
An ongoing Health, Safety & Wellness goals is to continue work around our Leadership & Staff Team's rest/work balance.
Next Gen is CORE certified with both BC Forest Safe and Alberta Forest Products Association.
Partnership with Total Physio
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 2026 season.
Food
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.
We are passionate about food and our food budget is among the highest in the industry.
We have camps instead of crews
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.
Experienced Planter Commitment Bonus
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 plants to the end of the season will receive an additional 2.5% total earnings bonus after finishing work, for a total of 5% total earning bonus
Experienced planters who work on or before May 31st and plants to the end of the season will receive a 2.5% total earning bonus.