Site preparation and planting
Calculating trees per hectare
The following table is a quick reference guide to calculate the number of trees per hectare.
Distance between rows (metres) | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | ||
Distance between trees (metres) |
1 | 5000 | 4000 | 3333 | 2857 | 2500 | 2222 | 2000 | 1818 | 1666 |
1.5 | 3333 | 2666 | 2222 | 1904 | 1666 | 1481 | 1333 | 1212 | 1111 | |
2 | 2500 | 2000 | 1666 | 1428 | 1250 | 1111 | 1000 | 909 | 833 | |
2.5 | 2000 | 1600 | 1333 | 1142 | 1000 | 888 | 800 | 727 | 666 | |
3 | 1666 | 1333 | 1111 | 952 | 833 | 747 | 666 | 606 | 555 | |
3.5 | 1428 | 1142 | 952 | 816 | 714 | 634 | 571 | 519 | 476 | |
4 | 1250 | 1000 | 833 | 714 | 625 | 555 | 500 | 454 | 416 | |
4.5 | 1111 | 888 | 747 | 634 | 555 | 493 | 444 | 404 | 370 | |
5 | 1000 | 800 | 666 | 571 | 500 | 444 | 400 | 363 | 333 | |
5.5 | 909 | 727 | 606 | 519 | 454 | 404 | 363 | 330 | 303 | |
6 | 833 | 666 | 555 | 476 | 416 | 370 | 333 | 303 | 277 |
Information leaflets
Tree Grower articles
- Radiata pine for the next generation
Michael Watt and Harriet Palmer, February 2018
Finally, payday is approaching for many forest owners, as woodlots and forests planted in the 1990s reach harvest age. For growers planning to replant with radiata pine, and any new planters,… - Post-harvest planting
Geoff Brann, November 2013
When it comes to replanting after a forest harvesting, I can comment on our experience in the Bay of Plenty. Other areas will have different weeds and problems to deal… - Optimising chemical use in radiata nurseries
Simeon Smaill and Katrin Walbert, November 2012
The establishment and growth of new radiata pine stands is strongly influenced by the quality of the seedling stock. Research by Mike Menzies and others of Scion relating seedling physiology… - Nursery specifications for natives
Miles Giller, May 2009
Many landowners wish to promote the regeneration of native plants, for a whole variety of reasons. In an ideal world such regeneration would take place by natural processes. However there… - Initial spacing in radiata pine
Wink Sutton, May 2007
Recent silvicultural improvements, such as seed source – almost all seed now comes from seed orchards – nursery practice, tree handling, planting methods, weed control and the adoption of regimes… - Toppling – further advice and insights
Author not published, November 2006
Toppling of young trees is a perpetual problem on some properties, and has been discussed many times in Tree Grower and out at field days. The following contributions, from some… - Mighty mycorrhizae
Murray Davis & Nick Ledgard, August 2005
Mycorrhizae are fungi that grow in association with plant roots and assist greatly in the absorption of moisture and nutrients. In effect, they vastly increase the root surface area of… - Perfect partners - mycorrhizae and forestry
Katrin Walbert, August 2005
Forest establishment is a critical phase of the forestry cycle, and success at this stage sets the scene for the whole of the rotation. The survival and growth of nursery…
Forest practice guides
The Forest Practice Guides (2018) are to assist forest owners/managers and contractors to meet legislative requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and in particular the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF). They do not replace or override any statutory requirement. For various forestry operations, the guides provide options and information on a range of practices and methods to manage effects of the operations on the environment.
More »
Vegetation to Manage Erosion
- 5.1 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Grassing
- 5.2 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Hydroseeding
- 5.3 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Mulch
- 5.4 Vegetation to Manage Erosion – Slash
Harvest Slash
Headlines
- Trees for steep erosion prone land report released August 2018
A report on alternative plantation forest species is now available on the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association website detailing the characteristics of a wide variety of tree species that are… - The effect of nursery management on early forest productivity October 2015
How much of the initial performance of seedlings is determined by their state when leaving the nursery gate? Scion has established a new trial series to explore this issue, and…
Other sources of information
- Chemical aids to planting site preparation
FRI Bulletin No. 100, Preest, D. S. (1985).
