Should Canada sprint to replant trees after intense wildfire years?
Through its 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program, the federal government has planted more than 228 million trees since 2021. With Canada enduring some of its worst wildfire seasons since it began, should the government expedite and increase its co-ordinated, replanting efforts?
Canada's 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program has achieved more than 11 per cent of its goal of planting, as the name suggests, two billion trees over a 10-year period.
In a late-August update from Natural Resources Canada (NRC), more than 228 million trees have been planted to date, advancing wildlife habitat protection, wildfire recovery and carbon sequestration.
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The government also announced the program has agreements in place to plant one billion trees, approximately, since it kick-started the initiative in 2021. As of June 2025, Canada has signed or is negotiating tree-planting agreements with 11 provinces and territories, 58 Indigenous partners, 30 municipalities and 88 non-governmental organizations.
Athabasca River valley, south of Jasper, Alta., aftermath of 2024 wildfire. (Connor O'Donovan/The Weather Network)
"The Government of Canada has taken action with partners across the country to restore forest landscapes, committing to date, nearly one billion new trees. Nature is part of Canadian identity, and we will continue to protect and defend it for future generations," said Tim Hodgson, Natural Resources Minister, in the Aug. 29 news release.
Canada's wildfire seasons have grown in severity since launch of trees program
Since the federal tree program began in 2021, the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, so far, are among the country's worst wildfire seasons on record. Billions of trees have been scorched this year alone, a season that has seen nearly nine million hectares burned, as of Sept. 24.
Restoring tree cover is an important strategy for carbon removal and addressing the climate crisis. So, with the intense wildfire seasons Canada has been experiencing in recent years, does the country require a more expedited process to keep its forests thriving?
"Wildland fire can be devastating for communities, people and property," said Danka Djukic, departmental spokesperson and communications advisor of media relations for Natural Resources Canada, in an email to The Weather Network.
Burn scar after wildfire. (Getty Images)
"At the same time, wildland fire is a natural process and plays a role in sustaining the ecology of Canada’s forests, including helping to maintain a healthy mix of tree species and age across the Canadian boreal forest."
So, the wildfire "prompts" trees to regenerate and forests to naturally recover on their own over time, Djukic said. Because of that process, replanting isn't always necessary to maintain forest ecosystems after most blazes.
"How a specific burned area regenerates depends on the fire severity, local fire history, soil, and climate," said Djukic.
But, wildfires aren't always a healthy process, especially those that exhibit extreme behaviour.
Wildfire in B.C. (Getty Images/Emily Norton/2230682306-170667a)
When fires are severe or unusually frequent, the natural recovery process can be disrupted, having negative effects on forest health, Djukic noted.
In a May 2023 interview with The Weather Network, Lori Daniels, a forestry professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), said our highly altered landscapes will need improved forest management to create more resilient ecosystems that can adapt to future wildfire behaviour.
"We have to do it in a way where we don't end up only with the highest severity fires that are impacting our landscapes today,” said Daniels. "To reduce the amount of fuels and to allow that good fire, the cooler and lower-intensity fires, to be part of the landscape is a critical, next-step approach."
Trees aren't necessarily 'lost' in the wildfires
The NRC departmental spokesperson said landscapes affected by natural disturbances will, "in almost all cases," rejuvenate from the natural cycle of forests. The trees are not “lost” in the sense of disappearing forever.
Wildfires. (Getty Images/Toa55/1498561784-170667a)
Natural disturbances can include wildfires, insects and drought, for example. They occur in "very different environments," ranging from coastal forests to boreal forests, Djukic said.
"Wildfire has always been a prevalent forest disturbance in Canada. It is particularly associated with boreal forests, which are naturally adapted to lethal fire. Regional fire activity is highly variable from year to year, and all forested areas of the country can experience fire to some degree," said Djukic said.
"However, recent fire activity has been particularly prevalent in the western boreal forest and in British Columbia."
Additional information can be found on the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) website, where the burned area can be summarized by year and jurisdiction.
Wildfires. (Getty Images/Andrii Chagovets/1357115538-170667a)
Tree planting takes time and 'careful' planning
The issue with attempting to increase tree planting on a faster timeline is the amount of time and careful planning it requires, Djukic explained.
For example, she noted a few factors come into play. Permission to plant may be required, time will be needed to prepare the area for planting, and there needs to be sourcing of a seedling of the right age and species for the site and purpose.
"The time required to plant is one of the reasons why the program works with external partners through long-term agreements, which provides them with the certainty they need to develop plans and plant the right tree, in the right place at the right time," said Djukic.
Planting trees. (Getty Images)
As the climate changes in Canada, so, too, does the frequency, strength, duration, size and timing of wildfires.
"As a result, federal, provincial and territorial partners are increasingly focused on wildland fire prevention and mitigation. The Canadian Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy, published in June 2024, seeks to mobilize whole-of-society actions to advance wildland fire resilience," said Djukic.
Those partnerships among the different levels of government and territories are critical to forest management, with 90 per cent of the country's forested land maintained by them, she said.
"Eleven provinces and territories have funding agreements in place to create lasting benefits, including wildfire recovery, habitat restoration for species at risk and forest resilience in a changing climate," said Djukic.
Agreements in place to plant more trees
The 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program has created partnerships with provinces and territories to facilitate various tree-planting initiatives, also sharing the costs of the efforts that are focused on post-wildfire restoration.
(Getty Images)
For example, the B.C. government is reforesting and planting approximately 65.5 million trees in wildfire-impacted areas, transforming severely burnt areas into future healthy forests, restoring wildlife habitat, and reducing the hydrological impacts of disturbed areas, Djukic said.
"Over the past four years, the 2BT program has funded a number of projects focusing on forest regeneration following significant loss to wildfires," said Djukic.
Other projects in the works, as noted by Djukic, include:
Nekoté Limited Partnership is planting 20.8 million trees in Manitoba to restore boreal forest lands affected by pest infestation and wildfire.
Forests. (Getty Images/Fahroni/2161721130-170667a)
Cariboo Carbon Solutions is planting approximately 46 million trees to restore areas that have been impacted by major natural disasters and the 2021 Lytton, B.C., wildfire.
The Tłı̨chǫ Government (N.W.T.) is planting 13 million trees to restore ecosystems, create jobs and restore boreal caribou habitat, including in areas burned in recent fire seasons.
WATCH: How trees get a 'second life' after a storm
Tree planting can be accelerated, but it is limited
The number of trees an individual can plant is "highly variable based on terrain and debris, experience level, and weather conditions," Djukic said. A professional in Canada, for example, typically plants between 1,000 and 3,000 trees per day, in precise conditions and for specific kinds of cultivating.
Mechanized planting can "greatly increase" the speed but is limited to where it can be applied, she said.
"There are organizations in Canada testing planting methods using drones, to reduce costs and to access remote terrain. That said, planting always requires a seedling (or a pod) planning and preparation of the area to be planted. Long-term viability of seedlings will require this upfront work," said Djukic.
Canadian planting will often take place in remote and rough terrain with slash, stumps, and rocks that make mechanized access difficult, Djukic said. While drones have been utilized by some firms, most tree planting in Canada is done manually by crews with shovels or specialized tools.
"Every year, [more than] 500 million seedlings are planted, mostly by seasonal planters working in crews across B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Planting in urban areas will be manual, as well. In cases where the planting is to restore habitat, including for species at risk, the preparation of the site may be a longer process," said Djukic.
WATCH: How animals cope with wildfires — in the days and years after the burn
Thumbnail shows a wildfire in Cache Creek, B.C., courtesy of Getty Images/Ascent Xmedia/2216151380-170667a.
