Planting can be used successfully on the most severe sites but the investment may not be justified economically and the risk of failure is great. Past plantings, especially those during the 60 s and 70 s are not indicative of planting success today. Most planting failures were on difficult sites that did not naturally regenerate and were already occupied by other competing vegetation. Today, we better understand how to plant successfully, have better nursery technology, selected seed sources, genetically improved stock, and more sophisticated vegetation management techniques including selective herbicides. Natural Regeneration Natural regeneration through seeding from vicinity trees requires very specific conditions for success.
Some species require exposed mineral soil.
Others are equally or more successful on less disturbed sites. Seedbed requirements must be present when seeds fall from the trees or the ever-present, opportunistic weed seeds or native shrub and herbaceous species will quickly claim the seedbed and thwart tree seeding. Some genetic improvement is possible with natural seeding by carefully selecting parent trees left on the site. These trees are selected for their visual characteristics. We assume their apparent superiority will be expressed in the next generation.