Spectrum Rises to the COVID-19 Challenge During Tree Planting Season
We are happy to report a successful 2020 tree planting season at Spectrum. Our planting activities commenced in mid-April, at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown. Given the fact that our tree planting workforce is housed in remote camps of 90 persons who must live and work in very close quarters, our COVID-19 pandemic posed some unique logistical challenges that our management and support teams completely took in stride.
Reforestation crew leader Kerry Gibson against the backdrop of the MLIB Treaty 8 Lands at Kerry Lake, BC.
HUMAN RESOURCES
All first aid training, driver training, ATV training and general onboarding was moved to various alternative platforms. We recruited additional cooking, cleaning and logistics personnel for each camp in order to comply with the new regulations.
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Our camps were outfitted with additional amenities, including more kitchen, meal and shower facilities. In addition, Spectrum invested in amenities not previously utilized during non-pandemic times – these included: laundry facilities, additional Wi-Fi capability, recreational items such as pool tables, projectors and games.
CAMP LIFE
Camp life was a bit different this past year. Once our workers had arrived on site, they were assigned their respective pods of six – which were deemed to be their “work family.” As a worker, you spent most of your time with your pod.
After the first 14 days in camp, with no positive cases, we were able to declare that our camp was COVID-free. Workers were permitted a bit more freedom to move around inside the camps. Access to camps from the outside was still restricted in order to limit the chance of virus entry. Workers were not permitted to go to town on days off – to limit the possibility of bringing back the virus. All supplies were shipped into camp – our logistics personnel were running a commissary / pharmacy / grocery store on wheels to supply the 350+ workers with what they needed.
A SAFE & SUCCESSFUL TREE PLANTING SEASON
In summary, this was one of the hardest seasons that our management staff and workers have been through. The pandemic did teach us that we can deliver a better camp experience for our workers. Many of the measures that were taken will most certainly become industry standard practices that will ensure that we keep our workers health and job satisfaction at the forefront.
