Tree Planting Project Manager
Resource Development Restoration
A Tree Planting Project Manager is responsible for the full delivery of a planting contract — from pre-season planning through post-season reporting. You're managing crews, contracts, logistics, client relationships, and compliance simultaneously, often across multiple sites. The field is part of it, but so is the office, the phone, and the spreadsheet. It's a role for people who have been on the ground and are ready to own the whole operation.
Advanced
Experience Level
Spring–Summer
Seasonality
Moderate
Physical Demands
Project managers in silviculture tend to be people who loved being in the field but wanted more complexity and ownership over outcomes. You're not just executing — you're building the plan, assembling the crew, managing the relationship with the client, and being accountable when something goes sideways. For people who are energized by that kind of responsibility, and who still want to spend significant time outdoors, it's a rare combination.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
A typical day crosses between the field and the phone. You might spend the morning on a block doing a quality check and talking through a production problem with a crew leader, and the afternoon on calls with the client or working through paperwork. Pre-season is heavy on logistics and planning. Mid-season is reactive and fast-moving. Post-season is documentation and close-out. No two contracts are quite the same, and the ability to hold a lot of pieces at once is what separates good PMs from great ones.
WORKING CONDITIONS
You move between sites, vehicles, phones, and desks. Field time is real but variable — some days are mostly on the block, others are mostly coordinating from a distance. The season is intense and time-compressed. Managing crews, clients, and contractors simultaneously requires organizational stamina that the work itself will develop, fast.
CYCLICAL NATURE OF ROLE
Primarily spring through summer aligned with planting contracts. Pre-season planning and post-season reporting extend the active work period. Some project managers work year-round with overlapping contract cycles or off-season development work.
REQUIRED EDUCATION & TRAINING
REQUIRED SOFT SKILLS
Organizational capacity and multi-tasking across field and administrative functions
Client and stakeholder communication
Leadership and crew development
Problem-solving under time and budget pressure
Accountability for contract outcomes
REQUIRED HARD SKILLS
Significant experience in tree planting or silviculture field operations is typically required
Previous crew leader or supervisory experience is typically required
Post-secondary education in forestry, natural resources, or a related field is an asset Occupational First Aid (OFA Level 1 or higher) with Transportation Endorsement is commonly required
WHMIS certification is required
Valid driver's licence is required
Familiarity with BC forest regulations and silviculture prescriptions is typically expected
ON THE JOB LEARNING
Contract planning and operational management
Multi-crew supervision and field leadership
Client relationship management and expectation setting
Regulatory compliance and forest practice documentation
Budget management and production performance analysis
FUTURE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Project management experience in silviculture is a pathway into senior operations roles, silviculture contracting, consulting, and forest company positions. Some project managers move into compliance and quality assurance roles, stewardship coordination, or registered professional forestry. The combination of field credibility and operational management skills is broadly valued across the forest sector.