Post-wildfire reforestation in Canada: Practitioner perspectives, emerging practices, and future research needs

Wildfire research and management efforts have largely focused on fire suppression, risk assessment, and mitigation. Comparatively little attention has been given to post-wildfire reforestation, despite its potential influence on long-term forest recovery. To better understand post-wildfire restoration practices in Canada, national charity Forests Canada conducted a survey resulting in 80 responses from forest managers and tree planting practitioners. Forests Canada also conducted interviews with eight experts. The study examined decision-making processes guiding post-fire tree planting, operational practices used to promote successful forest establishment, and the extent to which future wildfire risk is considered during restoration planning. Results indicate that practitioners generally adopt a cautious and deliberate approach to post-wildfire reforestation. Key considerations include regeneration assessments, resource availability, regulatory requirements, environmental and wildlife values, community priorities, and site accessibility. Respondents reported several adjustments to traditional reforestation practices, particularly regarding tree spacing, microsite selection, operational costs, occupational health and safety measures, and consideration of future fire risk. Changes in species selection, nursery stock types, and salvage logging practices were also reported, although less consistently. The study identifies seven priority knowledge gaps requiring further attention: reforestation prioritization, species selection, Indigenous stewardship pathways, tree planting standards, site preparation and salvage logging, the true costs of artificial regeneration, and occupational health and safety.