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B.C. tree planters on course to plant 300M trees, despite COVID-19

New COVID-19 safety regulations and protective measures have not slowed down B.C. tree planters, as CBC reports that 300 million trees are on track to be planted this season.

Safety regulations have consisted of social distancing, screening workers and self-isolating staff upon arrival have been in place since the season began in April. New measures have included not allowing workers to enter nearby communities as some communities feared the spreading of COVID-19 from these workers. None of the nearly 5000 recruited B.C. tree planters have tested positive for COVID-19 during the successful season says Western Forestry Contractors Association executive director John Betts.

“I think we’re going to come very close to planting 300 million. That’s remarkable as far as I can tell and I bet we can figure out a way to manage even around wildfires should they come.”

Betts has also begun to plan for next year as he assumes that many of the safety measures put in place this year to eliminate COVID-19 risks will still be in place in 2021.

“We don’t want communities fearing our arrival again, as some of them did this year,” Betts said.

Read the full story here.