Saskatchewan signs contract with seedling producer PRT Growing Services to buy 2.3 million tree seedlings that will be planted in 2014 in bid to renew public forests

Allison Oesterle

REGINA, Saskatchewan , March 26, 2013 (press release) – The Ministry of Environment has signed a contract with a Saskatchewan nursery to grow and store 2.3 million tree seedlings, which will be planted in 2014 to renew the province’s publicly owned forests.

PRT Growing Services will grow the pine and spruce seedlings this year and store them for the winter. In the spring of 2014, the trees will be planted in various locations as part of the province of Saskatchewan’s forest renewal program. PRT operates a forest nursery north of Prince Albert.

“Since 1997, the province’s renewal program has been proud to plant trees grown by PRT,” Environment Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “By investing in forest renewal, we are investing in the long-term health of Saskatchewan’s forests and the significant industry that they suppor.”

Since 1939, the provincial government has planted about 168 million trees to renew provincial forests.

In Saskatchewan, forest companies must renew all of the areas they harvest, under current licence agreements. The province’s renewal program addresses harvesting that is outside the areas covered by these agreements or that predates them.

The ministry buys trees from PRT each year under a long-term agreement. The value of this year's contract is $975,000.

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