Hailey Blacquiere

The province’s J. Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery now produces 1.3 million trees a year. To make this happen, the nursery staff grow PEI seeds into ready-to-plant trees. Hailey Blacquiere, manager of production development says they only grow native tree species using seeds from a local orchard that hold collections of trees that are selected as having the best traits. Whatever doesn’t get planted spends the winter at the nursery on Upton Road where a small winter crew are making sure these trees are in peak condition for the next planting season. Smaller saplings in trays are put down for the winter, which means they are bundled in special containers made of pallets, built on site, says Blacquiere. …Reforestation is a big part of why the nursery produces so many trees. Whether it’s replanting after extreme weather, shoring up buffer zones or turning land back into forest, excellent tree production is crucial.