Most of the wood we use is specially grown in large forests. These forests are carefully planned to help the trees grow well. The kinds of trees planted are the ones that will grow best in the forest’s soil and weather.
These baby trees are growing in a tree nursery.
Conifer tree seeds are collected from pine cones in the autumn. Before they are planted, the hard seed coats are rubbed with sandpaper to help them grow quickly. The seeds are planted in paper containers and kept in a nursery to protect them from mice, birds and frost. Young trees are called saplings. They stay in the nursery for three years.
Trees are often planted by hand.
Before saplings are planted out, the soil is prepared with a digger or plough. The trees are planted close together to help protect them from the wind. Sometimes a fence is put up to stop deer or rabbits from nibbling the saplings.
When trees have grown big enough, they are cut down.
Conifers are cut down when they are 50-70 years old. Broad-leaved trees are left until they are 100-150 years old. Some trees are cut down by a woodcutter, or lumberjack, using a chain saw. Others are cut down with a harvester machine.