You have a certain number of years to achieve the restocking levels prescribed by the CDF, and those guys are very serious about it. It's hard work, and there's no two ways about that. Much of the restocking in the redwood region takes place in December and January. So that means crews are out on the ground in wet and cold conditions from early to late, placing each tree by hand. Since they want to see a survival rate of 80 to 90 percent, each planting is done carefully.
Redwood does an amazing thing when it's harvested.
If there is enough sunlight allowed to strike the harvest site, the cut trees will send up sprouts from roots and stumps. It does this so prolifically that many of the farms that were carved out of the forest generations ago are now being returned to forestland. It's just too much work to keep the land cleared of trees, and landowners are finding a much higher return on their investment with redwood timber sales. Like all redwoods, the trees that the G-P crews plant are fast growers. It's common to see a young tree grow several feet per year.