Tree planting as seasonal work: what the US and Canadian job profiles say
Reforestation planting is filed under forest and conservation workers in the United States and under logging and forestry labourers in Canada. This page sets out what the official profiles and wage tables say about entry, pay and seasonal hours.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It is not career advice and does not say whether planting is a good job. It covers planting trees to restore forest cover, which is a different job from the tree care described in the guide to tree work career outlook. Figures are from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), O*NET and Canada's Job Bank, read on October 9, 2026.
United States
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists plant seedlings to reforest land among the duties of forest and conservation workers. Other listed duties are clearing brush and debris from trails, roadsides and camping areas, counting and measuring trees, and spraying or treating plants for disease and pests. The profile was last modified August 27, 2026.
| Item | Forest and conservation workers |
|---|---|
| Median pay, May 2025 | US$21.00 an hour or US$43,680 a year |
| Entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Jobs, 2025 | 14,700 |
| Projected change, 2025 to 2035 | Down 200 jobs, minus 2 percent |
| Openings a year | About 2,200, all from workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force |
On hours, BLS says most workers are full time but part-time or seasonal work is common. It says the work is often outdoors, sometimes in remote places and in all types of weather, and that it ranks forest and conservation workers among the occupations with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses. It says workers typically need a high school diploma and a valid driver's license before they start, and that some states may require training or a license for commercial pesticide use.
O*NET files the same work under code 45-4011.00 and names tree planters among the workers it covers, along with forester aides and seedling pullers. Its reported job titles include tree planter and reforestation worker. One of its listed tasks is selecting seedlings, preparing the ground and planting the trees in reforestation areas with manual planting tools. Asked about the work context, 70 percent said they are outdoors in all weather every day, 56 percent said they wear protective equipment every day and 70 percent said a typical week is 40 hours. O*NET prints the same 2025 median wage as BLS.
Canada
Job Bank, the federal labour market service, has a profile named "Tree Planter, Seasonal". It applies to all logging and forestry labourers, National Occupational Classification (NOC) code 85120. The description lists attaching choker cables to logs, planting trees, clearing brush, spraying chemicals, cleaning up landing areas and assisting other workers. It says the work is usually entered with short-term work experience and no formal education. Job Bank says the occupation is not regulated in Canada.
The requirements page says a WHMIS certificate may be required, completion of secondary school may be required, a chemicals application licence may be required, and pre-employment safety courses may be required. It adds that several weeks of formal and on-the-job training are provided.
The Job Bank wage table for the profile, updated November 19, 2025, uses Employment Insurance survey data for 2023 to 2024:
| Area | Low to high, CA$ an hour | Median, CA$ an hour |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 19.37 to 47.50 | 28.71 |
| British Columbia | 21.60 to 50.00 | 33.00 |
| Quebec | 20.00 to 50.00 | 30.00 |
| Ontario | 20.00 to 45.00 | 28.71 |
| Manitoba | 18.00 to 50.00 | 27.00 |
| Alberta | 19.77 to 35.00 | 25.00 |
| Saskatchewan | 17.00 to 45.00 | 25.00 |
| New Brunswick | 17.00 to 35.00 | 22.00 |
| Nova Scotia | 17.00 to 45.00 | 20.05 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 16.35 to 25.00 | 20.00 |
Job Bank does not publish wages for Prince Edward Island, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, and refers readers to the national figure. It says 63.8 percent of workers in NOC 85120 receive at least one non-wage benefit.
On prospects, Job Bank's three-year outlook, updated December 10, 2025, rates British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec as very limited and Nova Scotia as limited, and leaves the other provinces and territories undetermined. Its 2024 to 2033 projection says labour demand and supply are expected to be broadly in line at the national level. The wider rules on pay and hours for seasonal workers are in the guide to whether arborist work is seasonal.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Forest and Conservation Workers, last modified August 27, 2026, read October 9, 2026
- O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), 45-4011.00 Forest and Conservation Workers, updated 2026, read October 9, 2026
- Job Bank (Government of Canada), Tree Planter, Seasonal: summary, date modified September 24, 2026, read October 9, 2026
- Job Bank (Government of Canada), Tree Planter, Seasonal: wages, updated November 19, 2025, read October 9, 2026
- Job Bank (Government of Canada), Tree Planter, Seasonal: requirements, read October 9, 2026
- Job Bank (Government of Canada), Tree Planter, Seasonal: job prospects, read October 9, 2026