Tree Planting Swedish way ,Why it's so different?

[Papi_BG]

Hi everyone !
I'm from Bulgaria and 2007 was my first planting season in Sweden.
But we didn't use shovels like you ,we use a different tool called "Puttiputki"
I watched some videos like "replant 2007" at youtube and it seems to me that this job is much harder in Canada!
But as I read here ,I think the payment is better in Canada.
My first season ,from 12 may till 29 june 2007 I planted 131 112 swedish pine and spruce ,if you are interested
I can post some pictures. One day record 4420. We never worked more than 7-8 hours though.
Sorry if I made some mistakes ,my english is not so good.

I found a great video ,but the guy in the first minute and a half is boring, just skip that part.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3F_ltkwXyI

[kingjames_2nd]

In Canada we have Puttiputkis too. They are rare though and only used in a select few places. My understanding is that it is used mostly on the east coast and occasionally in Ontario. I know it was used in Ontario a lot more about 20-30 years ago but not anymore.

Some companies in Canada also use a tool called a dibble. A dibble basically removes a "plug" of earth the same size as the tree that needs to be planted. the tree is then placed in the hole.

Why do we predominantly use shovels? I don't know. Maybe it is because there are so many rocks everywhere that would jam up a Puttiputki.

Payment in Canada for planting trees is usually based on a "piece rate". That means that we get paid a set amount for every tree we plant. $0.10 (Canadian)for example. In BC a planter can expect much more than only 10 cents though, upwards of $1.30 or more! Most of te payment can be expected to hover between $0.10 to $0.30 though. What this means is that most planters will plant close to 2000 trees per day and make $200-$400.

Thanks for showing us how it is done in Sweden.

- James

[Papi_BG]

I think that the reason they use puttiputkis in Sweden are the rocks ,you can plant between them with that tool , probably break the shovel.That's the conclusion I made And believe me there are so many rocks in this fuckin country ,you can't imagine )
The payment is also on piece rate ,we get 0.25 SEK ,a normal day for me this year (my second) will be 4000 plants per day,
that 107 euro or about 158 US dollars ,and that's for7-8 hours of work.But I am bulgarian and I get payed less than the Swedish guys ,
I don't know exactly how much they earn but I'm sure it's way better.
I posted a link of a video in my first post ,and if you have time to see it you will notice the main difference ,you don't have to bend every time you plant a tree.
However ,thank you for your answer keep up the good work ,
maybe someday I will come and try this fucking job in Canada )

[Tupperfan]

I've seen a video about Swedish planting last year and it does seem different. The first thing I've noticed is how few girls seem to be doing the work there. Then the condition did look a little easier, but it might be presumptuous for me to say from a video without experiencing the thing. From what you said though, it seems to be somewhat the case.

You're saying that a Puttiputki can go between rocks, and probably can whitstand the many shocks, so I guess that's not the reason why most Canadian operations don't use it as there's a shitload of rocks in most places as well(not everywhere though, seen plenty of cream).

And if you'd come to Canada, you'd be happy that, foreign worker or not, you'd be paid the same wages as any other planter. I don't think it's fair that "local" workers are paid better to face the same conditions. I'm aware the cost of living might be different, yet you were doing the same fucking job and had to live in the same place, had the same expanses. It really doesn't seem fair to me!

Thanks for the input, always great to see/read stuff about reforestation in other countries!

[Papi_BG]

Thank you Tupperfan in fact I think that the video was posted by you in another website
The reason that we get payed less than the locals ist hat we pay 25% taxes and they pay 30% and even more sometimes.
But that is the situation in the comapny I work for ,it's a little bit different in other companies.
I will be happy to come and do planting in Canada someday but right now it's difficult to get a visa.
You said that no girls do it in Sweden ,that's not true.In Sweden in the beginning of may the work starts with mostly foreigners and local vets,
and yes there are not so many grls at that stage ,but after june 15th the students start plant and there are many girls than ,but the main difference is that nobody lives like u in camps in the forest.After work everybody goes home ,in one hand you go back to civilaization ,on the other hand camping in the forest with girls would be great ))
In my company last year we started 10 rookies and 3-5 swedish guys ,and after 15th june 80 students ,half of them girls.
In Sweden almost every man has done some planting when he was young.

In Sweden the plants are frozen and delivered at the block 2 weeks earlier by helicopter ,not all companies use helicopters ,sometimes the workers hav to carry them from the road to the block and this makes the work slow but they are paid more for that Are the plants frozen too in Canada ,maybe a stipid question but I had to ask

And I have never seen "cream" in Sweden simply beacause there is no such thing ))) maybe in the south part.
This forum gives me motivation to plant more this year ,thank you