Brad Jipa
Years with Outland: 6 years
Where have you planted?
Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta
What do you do in the off season?
Eat ice cream and reminisce about sand tiger lodge and its mountain dew voltage slushie.
How did you get involved in tree planting?
My friend jess krejcik brought me out
What do you wish you knew as a new planter?
To put a twist in my shovel and to flip my bags, not my trees.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets?
Keep up with your crew boss on walk-ins, don’t cache, and pack leftovers (esp. desert) for the next day on the block.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)?
A buff (and muskol)
What is your planting philosophy?
Planting is a team effort. it’s easy to think that you’re the only one that matters, but you’re not. Go help management with the reefer, leave a half box for your cache buddy even if it means waiting for trees, flag your line in nice and high. The planting gods notice and reward you for shit like that and never ever cream out someone’s piece #justiceforfrank
What is your favourite planting memory?
All of it. When I think back on past seasons it kind of just blurs into one happy, good vibe. I find the memories that make me laugh now (hiding under boxes in a hail storm, getting left on the block after dark, swamping the crew van, doing a two day crew repo, planting during a snowstorm, the quick 56) were all pretty bad at the time, but the people that i got through those moments with made it worth it. I’ve met some of the best people and made friends for life and wouldn’t change any of it.
What is your least favourite planting memory?
That day is Sask. I wouldn’t have gotten here without MT, fel and James. love you.
Mackenzie Coombe
Years with Outland: 6 years
Where have you planted?
Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and a bit in Saskatchewan.
What do you do in the off season?
Anything outside.
How did you get involved in tree planting?
Met a girl in university that used to plant, she got me an interview with my first crew boss.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter?
A yoga mat is not a good sleeping pad…ever…for any reason.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets?
Always backbag tp, you’ll never regret it. And always be prepared in general, for anything and everything on the block.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)?
Gatorade powder.
What is your planting philosophy?
Work as hard as you can every single day; no days off. Except for actual day off, then you can just eat lots of snacks and relax.
What is your favourite planting memory?
Planting my millionth tree.
What is your least favourite planting memory?
Every time I’ve ever had to pull apart frozen trees on a rain day.
Emma Gauthier
Years with Outland: 7 years
Where have you planted?
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Quebec and BC.
What do you do in the off season?
I travel, do other bush work like slash pile burning on Vancouver Island, and surf/cook/create with my down time.
How did you get involved in tree planting?
Growing up I looked up to my best friend’s sister who was a planter. She would come back from the bush tanned, jacked and full of adventure. Then a co-worker at a burger joint we worked at told my sister Chanelle and I about Outland and his experience planting. While he was super supportive, another co-worker there who also planted said we couldn’t hack it (walking in 5 km in the mud, deal with the bugs, and the hard work). That just gave me even more motivation to give it a go! We read Eating Dirt while traveling that year, knew it was something we had to try and applied together. I still remember that guy and thank him for doubting us!
What do you wish you knew as a new planter?
I wish I knew that you get out what you put in not only in terms of planting practice but socially as well. Keep an open mind to the new experience and put yourself out there as much as possible to get know everyone in camp, make their day better and your day will get better too! Laugh and embrace the chaos! Oh yeah, and don’t bring too much stuff.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets?
Rookies remember to keep showing up to work no matter what (just don’t quit!) and it will get more and more fun. Stay curious and humble toward the process of learning all these new skills and never stop learning throughout your planting career. Enjoy every moment, even the shitty rain days. And learn from the land itself! We have an amazing opportunity as planters to connect with the land – plants, animals, wind, water all of it just by being out there. Lose the struggle and get immersed in the wildness, feel it with all your senses and in your heart and you’ll build up more than just your bank account.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)?
I have three, coffee, sugar and tunes!
What is your planting philosophy?
My planting philosophy is just to giver my best everyday, consistency is key. To do this, I aim for a goal that’s slightly out of reach for the day and focus on how to make that happen per bag up.
What is your favourite planting memory?
This is a tough one! Literally everyday has something uplifting, from bumpy van rides getting stuck, blasting tunes and punching the roof to wild party nights howling at the moon, to crazy walk ins or outs through muskeg, to heart to hearts at the fire, days off eating everything in sight, to summer days all alone out there in the sunshine with your shovel and heart a pumpin! I love it all. Its special because of the people we spend these crazy times with – these shared moments and relationships are what I always remember and hold dear to my heart.
What is your least favourite planting memory?
My least favourite planting memory was …my rookie season haha! I cried everyday.
Sam Turcotte
Years with Outland: 13 years with Outland on and off, 9 seasons of that planting.
Where have you planted?
Mostly Ontario and Quebec, plus one contract in Alberta.
What do you do in the off season?
That has changed a lot over the years. I have done some cooking, some construction, various other camp jobs, and some time as a student.
How did you get involved in tree planting?
A friend was going, and I needed a job at the time. I applied a little late, and we didn’t even end up in the same camp!
What do you wish you knew as a new planter?
I would want someone to sit me down and explain at length both how hard it would be, and how rewarding it would be.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets?
I’ll pass on the best advice I ever got: “The best way to plant more trees is to just plant more trees.” – Derek Wark
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)?
For most of my career the answer is smokes. I quit smoking my last two seasons and it became copious amounts of sugar instead.
What is your planting philosophy?
“It’s just tree planting!” That is to say, don’t sweat the small stuff, and try to stay out of your own head. It’s ok to have a bad day sometimes. There’s always tomorrow!
What is your favourite planting memory?
The Sun. Long and crazy contract wrap days. Personal bests and big parties of course. Most of all, the lifelong friendships I made over the years.
What is your least favourite planting memory?
My very first production day. It was about 2 degrees Celsius and it drizzled freezing rain non-stop all day. I had never really worked outside before, and I was totally unprepared for the mental struggle that bad weather like that brings. I only made it through the day because my Vet mentor kept telling me: “”If you can get through today, you can do the whole season.”
Matthew Delorme
Total Trees:1,054,234
Years with Outland: 6 seasons
Where have you planted?
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and Quebec, and I have also planted in Australia.
What do you do in the off season?
In my off seasons I’ve mostly been away traveling the world.
How did you get involved in tree planting?
Two of my best friends and I were supposed to go out on this big camping trip over the summer but then one day one of the two got a job tree planting with Outland and said that we should join him. He said why not go camping AND get payed. And here I am now 6 seasons later writing about my 1 million trees.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter?
Don’t bring an air mattress! You’ll just end up sleeping on a freezing cloud of air. Definitely get a good tent, if not, at least a warm sleeping bag for the first few freezing weeks in May. Never give up. It will get harder but you will also get better and better. And dont waist any time, every second really makes a big difference.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t come out starting your season by smashing the numbers in before you’re ready. It takes a bit of time for your body to re adjust to planting every year.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)?
Your physical and mental game. Be physically ready to wake up early every day because you’ll never stop planting all summer long and stay mentally strong. This job is as mental as it is physically. And trust me, it’s pretty damn physical.
What is your planting philosophy?
Stay positive, be happy, stay motivated, never stop planting and you’ll do great.
What is your favourite planting memory?
Getting flown into “the office” every day.
What is your least favourite planting memory?
Bug attack, especially on a bloody hot day!!
Kelly Schneider
Total Trees: 2,203,649
Years with Outland: 10
Where have you planted? I started planting for a different company but after two years switched to Outland. I have planted in Northern Ontario, Saskatchewan, with summers in Alberta. After 8 years I moved to planting all season in Alberta.
What do you do in the off season? I went to Wilfrid Laurier University, have travelled all over and worked other jobs with Outland. I’m currently living in Victoria, BC working, volunteering and playing in a dodgeball league.
How did you get involved in tree planting? After my first year of university some friends were going planting and asked if I was interested. I didn’t know anything about it and didn’t have a job for the summer so I decided to try it out. I pictured us planting in farmers fields and was sorely mistaken when I got there and saw slash all over the place
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? That I’d still be planting at age 30 and I’m that much more out of shape every year I return. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Date the crew boss. But seriously, ask for advice and be humble. There are a lot of really skilled planters in your camp including your crew boss and they’re there to help you pound trees.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Candy.
What is your planting philosophy? “If you have the time to eat you’re not planting enough trees.” My crew can attest to that.
What is your favorite planting memory? It’s tough to have one favorite planting moment. I have more of a top ten of ridiculous situations. One memory that may not be a favorite to some, but was for me, was when a bunch of us had to walk out of a heli block. Some planters made it out with the heli before the fog and rain rolled in and grounded the heli so we couldn’t be picked up. I was laughing hysterically at how absurd the whole situation was. People were running through waist deep swamps down the seismic lines just trying to make it back. We finally made it back to camp and the planters that had made it out by heli lined up and gave us hi-fives and hugs. Thanks Chomey for leading the way.
Also having Doug Finamore (our Regional Manager) show up in my piece on the day I planted my 1 millionth tree with a gift. I thought it was going to be a t-shirt but it ended up being an iPad instead! I almost cried.
What is your least favorite planting memory? When I injured myself this past season. I had this pain in my chest and tried to plant through it for a while and had to eventually call it. In the end I had pulled a pectoral muscle and couldn’t lift anything for a couple weeks. I felt so useless and didn’t think I would ever plant again, which after 12 years would have been an emotional season ender.
Wa-mundeba Mundeba
Total Trees: 2,076,439
Years with Outland: 7 years.
Where have you planted? Mostly Quebec, but Alberta and Ontario as well.
How did you get involved in tree planting? Introduced by a friend in high school.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? I wish I knew how much planting was hard, yet fun at the same time.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Be focused and be there for the rookies, because they are the future of the best job in the world.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Good boots and lots of H20.
What is your planting philosophy? Be positive all the time and accept each challenge every second.
What is your favorite planting memory? Planting my first 100,000 in four weeks and training a rookie planter. She ended up planting 5200 in her forth week.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Driving my shovel on my toes wearing rubber boots.
Andrew Leonard
Total Trees: 1,298,865
Years with Outland: 8 years
Where have you planted? Northern Ontario (Kapuskasing and Heart), Saskatchewan, Northern Alberta (Athabasca, Fort McMurry and Grande Prairie).
What do you do in the off season? Eat, sleep and get huge.
How did you get involved in tree planting? Alex Miller and Makoto Kawano, and the rest is history.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? How bad the bugs would be.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Every second counts and go easy on the rookies, everyone`s gotta start somewhere.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Popcasts.
What is your planting philosophy? Just accept it brahh.
What is your favorite planting memory? Hazy memories on days off.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Planting in the cold rain
Tim Flanagan
Total Trees: 1,292,055
Years with Outland: 7 years
Where have you planted? Mostly Ontario and Manitoba springs, with Alberta summers.
What do you do in the off season? Odd jobs really; the highlights of which include, arborist, assistant, waiter, cook and car detailer, as well as an electrician apprenticeship.
How did you get involved in tree planting? John Hogervorst told me how much he made planting. That was all it took.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Get up early. Eat more than you think you should. Don’t be afraid of bears. Have camp fires and beers whenever possible.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? A watch.
What is your planting philosophy? There is a time and a place, so shut up and plant.
What is your favorite planting memory? The summer I went back to Wabasca, Alberta to reclaim my soul in 2010.
What is your least favorite planting memory? The summer I lost my soul to Wabasca, Alberta in 2011.
Marc Domville
Total Trees: 1,264,080
Years with Outland: 6
Where have you planted? Grande Prairie, Alberta.
What do you do in the off season? Student, Drug and Alcohol Counsellor.
How did you get involved in tree planting? After exiting the army reserves, I needed a summer job that was physically challenging. Applied online and voila!
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Not to worry about speed, start slow. Learn to plant an amazing tree. Speed only comes through experience.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Don’t complain. It’s infectious!
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? 5 hour energy drink.
What is your planting philosophy? Look at every planting day as an opportunity to make a ton of money, don’t take days off. Save the partying for the days off, you’ve got work to do tomorrow.
What is your favorite planting memory? Partner planting with my fellow million tree alumnus, Dan Woudstra.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Partner planting with anybody else.
Salameh Al-Huneidi
Total Trees: 1,254,222
Years with Outland: 10
Where have you planted? Ontario springs with some Alberta but mostly Quebec summers.
How did you get involved in tree planting? My girlfriend at the time had friends that were planting, I knew nothing about it. Found a posting from my first year Crew Boss and was hired on short notice.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? I wish I was a little better prepared and realized what I was really getting into.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Come in focused and with goals. Know what you want to do and how you are going to accomplish it.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Good boots.
What is your planting philosophy? Just keep planting.
What is your best planting memory? There are a lot of those. Setting any of my PBs (Personal Best) and planting my 1 millionth tree. I sat down next to the tree for a moment. But then I had to get up and plant the next one.
What is your least favorite planting memory? I remember it well. It was the worst bugs in history. No one was talking, everyone was just super angry. We just grabbed trees from the cache and took off. It was a tense moment.
Colgan Edwards
Total Trees: 1,225,620
Years with Outland: 7
Where have you planted? Mostly Ontario springs with Alberta and Quebec summers.
What do you do in the off season? Volunteering and fundraising for various aid relief work/ projects in Africa. Specifically for Howard hospital and Niachuru secondary school in rural Zimbabwe. I’ve spent much of my off season traveling and experiencing new and different cultures and enjoy spending my down time working here and there with as much time with friends and family as possible. Currently I am fixing up an old farm house with a small plot of land in hopes to become self sustaining.
How did you get involved in tree planting? Through friends who were Outland planters.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? How hard the work was and how bad the bugs were.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Keep a positive mental focus every day.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Good boots and my lunch.
What is your planting philosophy? Zen planting. I meditate; it is a total out of body experience.
What is your favorite planting memory? Just fun times with the rest of my camp.
What is your least favorite planting memory? My first break down as a rookie. My gear had fallen apart and when my Crew Boss asked how I was doing I couldn’t hold it together, wasn’t doing so hot.
Zach Barill
Total Trees: 1,208,517
Years with Outland: 5 years.
Where have you planted? Started in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with a summer plant in northern Alberta. Mostly northern Ontario and some Quebec plants as well.
How did you get involved in tree planting. I thought it was the kind of job I could excel at and so I applied online to various companies. I got an interview at the Outland office and Tim Nosworthy hired my and became my first crew boss.
What do you do in the off season. I am currently doing my third year of an undergraduate degree in Sociology at Trent University in Peterborough. On the weekends I am a server at my aunt and uncles Cora`s in Whitby. My free time is spent playing music and spending time with my girlfriend.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Planter etiquette. Mostly just be courteous and generous and do not be afraid to ask for help; you`ll be appreciated in camp and you can create a supportive environment.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Efficiency trumps comfort; always plan what to do before you have to do it, but be willing to adapt as the unexpected arises.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Pregame. Work ahead to make the things you need accessible; so you don’t have to worry when you are actually able to plant. This includes excessive food, water and sleep. Always have bay powder as well.
What is your planting philosophy? Even with five years of experience, I still experiment with planting style a lot. I am always looking for ways to become more efficient. During planting I slow down a lot and I constantly redouble my efforts. No matter what I am always moving; if you are low move as fast as your able to, if you are high you should be moving as fast as you can; this isn’t always the same, but effort dictates productivity to a greater extent than ability.
What is your favorite planting memory? I have had the chance to have one on one conversations in the last five seasons with some of the best people I know. If planting has allowed me to make a deeper than superficial connection with you, than your my favorite part of planting.
What is your least favorite planting memory? The trust is I really enjoy the worst parts of planting; the challenges inspire me to achieve my potential and realize my limits. the worst planting memory I have was the end of the my fourth season. I looked back on the season with all the regrets knowing I should have performed differently. I did not develop the relationships I should have, I lost motivation to plant and thought I had finished my planting career. This season gave me a chance to make up for my regrets and learn from my mistakes. I cannot express the appreciation I feel towards the people that made this season so great and know that next season can only be better.
Ben Orr
Total Trees: 1,203,323
Years with Outland: 5 years.
Where have you planted? Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick
How did you get involved in tree planting. My sister had planted for years, and I heard you could make a lot of money.
What do you do in the off season. Student in Victoria, BC.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? That the hardest part wouldn’t be the planting itself, but the constant discomforts that come with it.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Abandon any hope of feeling good, and accept that your only path to happiness is through planting lots of trees and making money. Embrace the pain.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Gatorade powders, baby powder and my iPod.
What is your planting philosophy? Look good, feel good, plant good!
What is your favorite planting memory? Double days off!
What is your least favorite planting memory? Planting hungover, with bronchitis.
John Hogervorst
Total Trees: 1,185,483
Years with Outland: 8
Where have you planted? Ontario springs with mostly Alberta summers and a summer in New Brunswick.
What do you do in the off season? I graduated from King’s college at UWO, majoring in religious studies with a minor in history. I took a year off to travel through south and Central America. I also went to teachers college at the University of Toronto and am currently a teacher in Sarnia. I still enjoy working on the home farm and playing and coaching soccer.
How did you get involved in tree planting? A friend saw Outland at a job fair. My girl friend had been hired but no one wanted to hire me at first but eventually I got in.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Well I brought insulated coveralls to plant in…So better gear and I guess just know that you can always work harder.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Don’t get lazy.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Anti-chaffing cream.
What is your planting philosophy? To be the hardest working person on the block at all times.
What is your favorite planting memory? Teaching other people how to plant.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Planting in a blizzard. No wait, crew bossing in a blizzard. Everyone hated me.
Ryan Klages
Total Trees: 1,160,996
Years with Outland: 8
Where have you planted? Ontario for several years with Alberta summers then a move to Manitoba for the past few seasons.
What do you do in the off season? Graduate from Ottawa University majoring in Poli Sci and now I am working as a Chef.
How did you get involved in tree planting? My sister was a planter with Outland and we got her crew boss to take me on.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? I spent a lot of time looking around for places to plant. Don’t get too stressed out about where to plant a tree, just plant a tree.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Never stop learning how to be a better planter. And relax.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Music.
What is your planting philosophy? Shut up and plant.
What is your best planting memory? Planting with Karl Forbes. He taught me how to take it to the next level and made every day interesting. For 2 years I never had a bad day with Karl at my side!
What is your least favourite planting memory? It would be my first day of planting. I was terrified, had no idea what to do. I was trying to climb in slash piles to put a tree every six feet. I made no money, thought it was impossible, and hated my sister for convincing me to go. After planting my slash piles all morning I was ready to plant the tiny little piece of nice land I had been saving and a vet ‘Lolly’ came and planted it in about 20 minutes while I ate a sandwich wondering what the hell I should do.
Francois Deslauriers
Total Trees: 1,141,537
Years with Outland: 8 years
Where have you planted? Mostly Quebec springs and one time in Ontario.
What do you do in the off season? I went to University and I just became a dad.
How did you get involved in tree planting? By a friend of a friend.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? How hard it is to come back to the real world. Especially after 8 years.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Plant as many trees as you can but do it right.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? iPod hands down.
What is your planting philosophy? When you look at me in the land, you think I don’t want to talk to you. Damn right, I don’t want to talk to you.
What is your best planting memory? When I realised that I am really happy when I’m planting. This could also be my least favorite memory.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Having to do a replant. I felt ashamed and I wasn’t making money.
Sarah Ambroziak
Total Trees: 1,110,765
Years with Outland: 7
Where have you planted? Ontario springs and Alberta summers.
What do you do in the off season? I have a BA from WLU and majored in Poli Sci and have a business diploma from Humber College in International Project Management. I traveled a lot and am now working in Thunder Bay with First Nations youth.
How did you get involved in tree planting? I had friends that had planted.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Not to think of it as a job but as a sport. At the end of the day your numbers should matter more than your pay check. And obviously to hand close sphagnum.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Always know it’s possible to plant more, even when you think you can’t.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Music.
What is your planting philosophy? Always be planting a tree and always have a tree in your hand.
What is your best planting memory? Nights off with Ell, Ton, KA and Jo. Also anytime I heard the words ‘delayed wake-up’ or ‘double day off’, and most days with Hamish.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Year 3 in Ontario when we experienced the most rain and bugs ever recorded.
Spencer Lanthier
Total Trees: 1,103,186
Years with Outland: 5
Where have you planted? Planted mostly in Alberta, but have spent some time in Saskatchewan and Quebec.
What do you do in the off season? Scuba Diving Instructor.
How did you get involved in tree planting? A friend from University got me the job, I had heard a lot about it and how great it was to help with your student debts.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? All the essentials that you find out about as you gain more experience. Extra dry clothes after a few rain days are important.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? For vets: Stop complaining so much and relax. For rookies: I would say to keep your head down and work hard. It will pay off down the road when you are planting faster than vets but working half as hard.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Music.
What is your planting philosophy? Take your time, the day is a lot longer than you think it is. Always remember the slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
What is your best planting memory? I’ll always remember the terrible days more than the great days, they make for better memories. But one that sticks out was the heli fly in day, warm weather for the morning, and then the worst storm i had ever seen came in and we couldn’t evacuate because we couldn’t get flown out. Worst 2 hours of my life (and of course I forgot my rain gear), but the end of the day with everyone coming together was fantastic.
What is your least favorite planting memory? I would say the first week of all seasons. You have high expectations when you first start and always seem to forget that it takes time to get back in planting shape no matter how much you prepare beforehand.
Chandler Kinzie
Total Trees: 1,053,295
Years with Outland: 6
Where have you planted? Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec
What do you do in the off season? Either school, travel, work or some combination of the three.
How did you get involved in tree planting? Met a friend in college who had planting before and ended up on his crew. Immediately became hooked on it.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Take better care of your body.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Boost yourself up when you’re feeling low and self-deprecate when you’re high. Maintain the balance.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Mountain Dew.
What is your planting philosophy? Don’t take yourself too seriously. Plant a tree. Repeat. Do that as many times in a day as possible.
What is your favorite planting memory? Days off in rural Manitoba. Campfires. Returning from the block and shot-gunning a well-deserved beer with the crew.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Ever walk-in. Ever. Also, bugs.
Sabina Weber
Total Trees: 1,086,551
Years with Outland: 6
Where have you planted? I planted in Grande Prairie, AB, for 6 summers, in Amos, QC for a fall season and in St-Ludger de Milot, QC for another fall season.
What do you do in the off season? Planting got me through university, debt free and allowed me to save up enough money to travel around the world with the people i love. I spent four months in South America, hiking to snowy peaks and working on organic farms. I also spent another four months in South-East Asia, scuba diving, exploring lush rainforests and eating the most amazing food.
How did you get involved in tree planting? I come from a generation of tree planters… so i guess its in my blood 🙂 My Uncle used to plant back in the day, which inspired my two sisters to move out west during their summers to plant. My brother began planting and came back with wild stories, so naturally, I just had to do it! After my first summer planting, I was hooked. I had goofy friends in every corner of Canada, a home in every city. Planting has been such a huge part of my life, and I encourage anyone who has it in them, to try it, they wont regret it!
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? Try starting out planting ambidextrous (alternative shovel and planting hands). Planting is a repetitive motion sport, and so alternating the strain you put on your wrists is extremely beneficial, it helps alleviate strains and further injury.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Attitude is everything. If you are having a bad day, it will trickle down. Take a breath, look around, and realize you are on lucky human to be out in the wilderness, getting a workout, meeting amazing people and making a pretty penny all at once! It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed in your first season, and that you cannot learn the tricks of the trade overnight. Like any sport, it takes time, dedication, perseverance and a positive attitude. Don’t get caught up in numbers, you will naturally get quicker over time. Always plant a good tree, it takes just as much effort to plant a good tree as a bad tree. Have fun, listen to your favorite music, audiobooks, podcasts…!! Always help out when you can in camp life, we are all working together to make the well-oiled machine run smoothly. Fuel your body with nutritious food and drink water in abundance!
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? My iPod. Every now and then, I will plant without music, and it’s refreshing, but for the most part, music is my savior. I dance everyday in my land. Sometimes I like to switch it up and listen to podcasts. Audiobooks are amazing as well! I have a waterproof speaker; I never plant with ear buds. I am a salty sweater, so I eat dillpickle and cracked pepper Spitz everyday to keep my salt levels up. I put a handful in my mouth at the cash and plant with them for my whole bag-up. I don’t recommend doing it if you are not a skilled spit eater! 🙂
What is your planting philosophy? Smile; you are lucky to be alive and surrounded by goofballs! Just DO IT!
What is your favorite planting memory? I cannot think of one, there are so many. I know there were hard times, but after every season, all I remember are the good times… so that must mean something, right!?
What is your least favorite planting memory? It was a scorching bluebird day, and I thought it was smart to bag doubs all day. I wasn’t able to drink enough to stay hydrated, so at the end of the day, I got extremely dehydrated. My entire body was in cramps and seizing up. It was the most painful experience I’ve ever had to endure. I’ve stayed hydrated ever since! 🙂
Jonathan Tiberi
Total Trees: 1,084,066
Years with Outland: 9
Where have you planted? Ontario, New Brunswick, Quebec, Sask, Manitoba, Alberta and BC
What do you do in the off season? Musician
How did you get involved in tree planting? My friend Scott told me he could get me into it.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? To bring warm clothes (the only thing I really remember about being a rookie is being cold and scared).
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Just worry about yourself, don’t get caught up in competitive squabbles and have a good time!
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Having dry stuff to change into after working in the rain.
What is your planting philosophy? Tree planting is the worst vacation you could ever go on, but they pay you to do it and you make really good friends!
What is your favorite planting memory? I have had many memories of getting fired up listening to Iron Maiden buy its really hard to pin point one memory that standards above all else.
What is your least favorite planting memory? By January, most of the bad memories have faded from my mind!
John Orr
Total Trees: 1,068,584
Years with Outland: 5
Where have you planted? Ontario, Quebec and Alberta
What do you do in the off season? School, travel and always exercise!
How did you get involved in tree planting? My brother and sister both planter before me.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? That 5 years later I would still be doing it!
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Tree planting is an amazing opportunity to make serious money. Suck it up and strive for greatness.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Monster/Caffeine and baby powder.
What is your planting philosophy? You will never see any planter in the entire country plant as hard as I will plant the rest of the season and you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season, and you will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season.
What is your favorite planting memory? A long rainy wrap day with Gabe, Kuba and Krystal. In the rain, on a rainy day.
What is your least favorite planting memory? My entire first two seasons.
Jean-Francois Roy
Total Trees: 1,067,017
Years with Outland: 9
Where have you planted? Quebec, with a brief visit in Ontario.
What do you do in the off season? I teach kids and ski mountains.
How did you get involved in tree planting? My cousin was supervising a contract and I was looking for a summer job. The rest is history.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? How to properly equip myself.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? It’s a tough job, but try to leave your bad day and your complaining on the block.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? iPod.
What is your planting philosophy? Stop thinking about home and start paying bills.
What is your favorite planting memory? Beland’s pirate crew.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Mandatory arm breaking extractor contracts in Quebec.
Patrick Laverdiere
Total Trees: 1,055,455
Years with Outland: 8 years.
Where have you planted? Quebec.
How did you get involved in tree planting. Friend of a friend.
What do you do in the off season. Right now, I’m studying to become a carpenter.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? That it’s actually pretty fun!
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Give it your best… one day at a time.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? iPod!
What is your planting philosophy? Giv’er!
What is your least favorite planting memory? Even the bad memories are good now.
Krystal Gogarty
Total Trees: 1,031,910
Years with Outland: 5 years.
Where have you planted? Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Alberta.
How did you get involved in tree planting. Applied online. Heard about it and thought it would be a good way to spend my summers and make a lot of quick moolah!
What do you do in the off season. Travel most of the time, but currently looking for work as a teacher.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? I wish I knew about the Marks 100 day return policy; could have saved $200!
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? There are days when feeling miserable is inevitable. I just tried to remind myself that making money while being miserable is way better than not making money and still being miserable.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? iPod!
What is your planting philosophy? Get competitive, always be planting and be aggressive. Find something that makes you angry and use it as motivation to plant more trees! Your greatest competition is against yourself!
What is your favorite planting memory? I have so many great memories! It was cool getting to plant and spend summers with my siblings, who I got into planting (Shout out to Pat and Kaitlyn!).
What is your least favorite planting memory? I try not to think about the bad memories, it is better to hold onto the good ones! 🙂
Megan Wain
Total Trees: 1,006,975
Years with Outland: 6 years
Where have you planted? Mostly Northern Ontario and Quebec with one summer in Alberta.
What do you do in the off season? Mostly travel and I’m now in grad school studying Environmental Sustainability.
How did you get involved in tree planting? Researched the job online and applied.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? That block style is paramount to success. You can’t plant trees if you look like an idiot. My rookie photos and subsequent numbers reflected this.
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Plant deliberately, methodically and efficiently. Don’t expend any more energy than you need to… you don’t get paid extra for that. And wear gloves!
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Block chips and/or bug spray. Given a choice between the two, block chips!
What is your planting philosophy? Anyone can do just about anything for a set amount of time. Smile, be respectful and plant hard! The day will always end.
What is your favorite planting memory? Pretty much any time things were so incredibly bad that they were funny, or when they were mildly good and therefore AMAZING. For example: falling down laughing partner planting, shouting at the top of my lungs “I LOVE MY JOB”, Sean Grabowski screwing in a light bulb tighter at dinner and the whole camp cheering and pounding the tables screaming “I know that guy!”, Scobie being legitimately mistaken for a homeless person in Timmins, McPherson style mail drops, Outlaw country night at the Cache, double day offs, waist deep swamp walk-ins and one particularly epic Sherpa thunderstorm escape in Alberta. Any of the good-crazy memories that helped counteract the bad-crazy in this job will always be my favorite. Also, of course, the amazing friends made along the way.
What is your least favorite planting memory? Being snowed into camp for 4 days in my rookie year before I had even planted my first tree.
Andy McGillivray
Total Trees: 1,006,899
Years with Outland: 8
Where have you planted? Started in Ontario for a few years. Moved to Manitoba for a few more years and had a summer in New Brunswick.
What do you do in the off season? Currently I am a PhD student at the University of Iceland, studying Icelandic literature.
How did you get involved in tree planting? I had heard about tree planting from some friends and thought it sounded like something I would like to do. I applied with Outland and was hired by my first Crew Boss.
What do you wish you knew as a new planter? I wish I had known about polypropylene and fleece!
What is your best advice for rookies and vets? Always try and remember how lucky we all are to be able to have such a good job, no matter what your tree count for the day.
What is your one essential planting item (other than bags and shovel)? Gloves. Without a doubt, gloves.
What is your planting philosophy? There are many different ways to plant trees, and each planter can find their own way. Learning from other planters is central to this. Planting only becomes easier with time.
What is your favorite planting memory? Each season is its own favorite memory and there is something very special about each crew.
What is your least favorite planting memory? When we lost our Crummy to another camp.