Full Planting
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), p. 9
What it is
Full planting establishes a new stand. Site-appropriate seedlings are planted where there isn’t enough natural regeneration to reach the prescribed stocking.
Eligibility
- An appropriate pre-harvest covertype (see Planting Standards).
- Minimum area: 1 ha, either as one site or as several sites on the same woodlot added together.
- Pre-treatment inspection confirms:
- slash, duff and/or vegetation are adequately under control, and
- the species and seedling size suit the site.
- Mixed-species planting: check that the species are compatible and that each one is likely to survive.
- Natural regeneration test: a site already stocked with eligible species at more than 1,800 stems/ha does not qualify for full planting (see Planting Standards).
Standards and assessment
Use seedlings from the J. Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery. Plant them to the quality specifications in Planting Standards.
| Species group | Site | Density eligible for assistance (seedlings/ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Softwood | Typical site | 1,400–2,000 |
| Softwood | Open-grown site free of natural competition, such as a retired field | 2,000–2,500 |
| Hardwood | Any site | 1,200–2,000 |
- Above 2,000 per hectare: planting at higher density is eligible for the maximum assistance.
- Why plant fields denser: on open fields, the higher softwood density encourages trees to thin and prune themselves, producing clear, high-quality logs. Stands planted this way will need commercial thinning later to reach their potential.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), p. 9. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.