rooted.in.wellness
Mental Health and Wellness in Silviculture
Traditionally, mental health and wellness has been seen as an issue outside of work, with the responsibility placed on individuals to manage it alone. As stigma surrounding mental health and illness begins to shift however, a more nuanced perspective is beginning to emerge. Studies are beginning to show the link between mental health and productivity, injuries and more - which impact far more than just the individual, and in some cases can influence at an organizational level.
When looking at the silviculture industry, it gets more complicated. Workers are both ‘on’ and ‘off’ work while remaining onsite with supervisors, crew leads and team mates in remote places with little access to resources that ‘traditional’ workers may have. This means that not only do these folks have a harder time accessing support, they also face unique challenges directly related to their employment, and are often under supported in managing the risks associated with the lifestyle.
These risks, alongside any preexisting mental health conditions create an environment rife with possibility of harm with real consequences both for the workers and their employers. This is where I think specialized mental health care has the opportunity to create safer workplaces and integrate with the broader health and safety realm in the industry.
Below you will find information and studies that highlight the specific and nuanced challenges faced by tree planters, the impact of mental health and wellness on productivity and injuries, and the opportunity available for companies to create a stronger, healthier and more sustainable workforce.
My Story
I started tree planting in 2019 at the age of 28. It was one of the most profound and exciting times in my life, and it is what gave me the motivation and belief in myself to eventually follow a lifelong dream of becoming a counselor.
In 2022 I was injured and was set up with Total Physio to assess and try to rehabilitate the injury. Ultimately I had to make the tough choice to leave camp and was faced with the realities of a major life change. My partner and friends remained in the bush, and I was left feeling lost and alone as I attempted to reintegrate into ‘normal’ life.
To many outside the industry, this is just another job - but to those of us who have had our hands in the dirt it is so much more. Tree planting is an incredible microcosm of culture, a unique lifestyle where people show up more authentically, have more intense connections and are offered the opportunity to prove themselves in many ways. The time that we spend in camp and in our pieces inform our ideals, our values and for many are the times we feel the most connected to ourselves and others. We are able to gain confidence, learn the importance of dedication, and explore who we truly are, away from the expectations placed on us at home.
Alongside these benefits however, are risks. Isolated remote work camps with blurred boundaries and challenging physical labor is a breeding ground for mental illness and struggles.
Over my four year career I have experienced and witnessed anxiety attacks, substance misuse, hospitalizations, isolation, stalking, domestic violence, sexual assault, traumatic injuries and more. Throughout this time I had access to mental health supports on my own terms, but trying to explain my experiences to someone who had never even heard of silviculture was challenging at best, and most of the time I was left without the care and support I needed.
This gap in support, alongside my experiences with Total Physio inspired me to start thinking about mental health in silviculture, and the impact that integrated and specialized mental health services could have on not only the well being of individuals, but on the health and sustainability of the industry as a whole.
Challenges, risks and mental health outcomes for workers
Tree planters and other silviculture workers face unique challenges that can be caused by and exasperated by remote work including:
Drug and alcohol use
Living and working in camp
Isolation and social dynamics
Injuries
Power dynamics
Lack of access to resources and support
Lack of autonomy and control over work or personal life
These challenges can lead to risks that impact planters, crews and camps such as:
Misuse of substances, addiction, overdose, missed production days
Sexual assault/trauma, stalking, intimate partner violence, peer pressure, bullying, blurred boundaries, isolation, lack of inclusivity
Injury exacerbation, increase in worksafe and other claims
Unsafe work spaces, high turnover rates, unhealthy competition, lack of accountability, communication and boundary issues, pressure on untrained management to deal with mental health and safety
And with these risks come possible mental health outcomes such as:
Depression, anxiety, low self worth/self esteem, sleep issues, trauma (including vicarious trauma), shame, negative self talk
In more extreme cases (left untreated) these issues can impact a planters quality of life far longer than just for the season, and can include things like loss of employment, stigma, social repercussions and suicide
These struggles impact not only the planters themselves, but the crews, the camps and the companies on a large scale. Below you will find information and studies showing the impact of mental health on productivity and injuries, and sources describing the intersection of mental and physical health. We all know that taking care of our bodies during the season is key to the success of a planter, and we now have the opportunity to further support that physical wellness through mental health.
The Impact of Mental Health on Health and Safety
According to WorkSafeBC “managing psychological health and safety in the workplace is as important as managing physical health and safety”. Studies show a link between poor mental health and higher rates of injury, decline in cognition and impacted decision making processes which have direct implications on the block and in camp. Below you will find an example that highlights the risks and possible outcomes faced by a crew boss without access to specialized mental health resources and supports.
A first year crew boss Sally is managing some challenging crew dynamics. Two of her crew members were dating, broke up, and now one partner has moved on, leaving the other feeling frustrated and lonely. This member takes their concerns to Sally (who is also their friend) and they end up staying up late talking.
Sally feels concern for her friend, but also has to make sure to remain professional. She tries to stay out of it, but also feels a sense of responsibility for her fractured crew dynamics. She finds herself getting more and more stressed about the issue, alongside her workload.
This dynamic continues for a few shifts, and one morning Sally is feeling extra burnt out and stressed about the situation. She is distracted while taking a turn at high speeds and ends up rolling the vehicle.
Although no one was seriously hurt, Sally feels immense guilt, her crew feels further fractured and there are tangible safety concerns.
These are the specific mental health aspects that led to the accident:
Blurred boundaries between crew leads and crew members
Emotional and mental labor put on Sally
Lack of stress management techniques
Lack of emotional regulation for crew members
Lack of conflict resolution
These are the direct impacts of the accident on overall health and safety in the workplace:
Possibility for worksafe claims
Lowered production
Possibility for injury
Further possible mental health outcomes for those involved, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, etc.
This is where the realm of health and safety intersects with mental health. With proper training on stress management, communication and boundaries, alongside access to 1:1 support with a trained professional, the outcome would have been very different.
The Impact of Mental Health on Injuries and Productivity
According to The Economic Impact of Mental Disorders and Mental Health Problems in the Workplace, “job stress, bullying, moral, sexual harassment, and violence in the workplace are factors related to poor mental health and low productivity”. (Pinheiro, et al., 2017)
Some of the unique ways in which these factors impact workers in the silviculture industry include:
Unhealthy crew and camp dynamics
Challenges finding new planters to fill in gaps/heightened production goals
Workplace stress (including unhealthy competition, fear of judgement etc.)
Remote workplaces (bullying/peer pressure etc. impacting folks on the block and in camp)
Another factor that is important to consider is the way in which remote work camps can exacerbate previously occurring mental health disorders. When individuals who already suffer from poor mental health are placed in isolated conditions with heightened social, physical and emotional demands it can induce a breeding ground for more intense symptomology, which can then impact how workers show up.
“Mental disorders are among the leading causes of work losses, measured by absenteeism, presenteeism, and sick-leave rates”. (Pinheiro, et al., 2017) Although the mental health of a planter pre-season is not the companies responsibility to manage, there are implications to consider when bringing people of different and unknown backgrounds together in a remote workplace.
If a planter has an adverse experience in camp one year, and is not able to access the resources and support necessary to heal or work through those issues, then the company and camp that they join the next year can be negatively impacted, resulting in many of the costs listed above.
In terms of injuries and productivity, we can see from the success of Total Physio that proper prevention, training and resources can mitigate losses caused by injury. The next step is to explore the link between mental health and physical health. In How Mental Health Affects Injury Risk and Outcomes in Athletes, Rogers (2023) states “mental health can and does influence athletic performance and is also intimately tied to the risk of athletic injury, thus creating a complex cycle with the inability to separate physical and mental health”.
At its core, tree planting is a marathon, with heavy demands on physical health, stamina and productivity, similar to athletes. The studies found below highlight the interplay between mental and physical health in athletes, and can be applied to workers in silviculture as well. When individuals are facing mental health struggles, they have a higher rate of injury and a lower rate of repair, and once they are injured have a higher chance of developing mental health struggles. This creates a closed loop where injury and mental health feed into one another, negatively impacting individuals as well as crews, camps and companies.
Utilizing mental health interventions on an organizational level creates an opportunity to further protect planters' health and well being, and proactively insulate company productivity and sustainability.
Studies & Research Links
Here you will find the studies referenced above, as well as other research linking mental health and wellness with productivity, injuries and more. Broadening the scope of health and safety to include mental health is the next step in the well being, productivity and safety of your camps.
rooted.in.wellness
specialized mental health care for the silviculture industry
Mental Health in Silviculture: A specialized intervention
Mental health matters, and working away from home in a physically demanding job, with intense social and relational experiences creates possibilities of incredible opportunity, alongside risk. Rooted in Wellness mitigates this risk by offering companies the ability to provide planters and staff with training and resources that help to prepare them for the season, integrations and processes that are actionable and relevant during the season, alongside guaranteed 1:1 counseling sessions for individuals needing extra support.
Program breakdown
Prevention & Training (pre season)
Physical training before the season helps workers prepare for the demands of the job, aids in injury prevention and leads to heightened production. Mental health works in the same way, and by providing access to resources and training pre-season, workers are able to better identify issues, prepare for challenges and practice exercises that will support them in having a more productive, safer and healthier season.
Deliverables (2 months before start date)
For all workers:
Full access to a comprehensive resource library offering workers the ability to:
Self identify and self manage any pre-existing mental health conditions
Prepare for the mental and physical challenges faced both on the block and in camp
Practice exercises at home to aid in easier interventions once at work
For management:
Specialized training for folks in management roles to:
Understand their roles in the mental health and well-being of their crews/camps
Understand the risks with remote work and mental health challenges (for self and others)
Know how to confidently identify mental health issues and assess risks
Intervention & Support (during season)
Access to specialized resources and support in real time offers workers and management the ability to maintain healthier mental and emotional states, and catch issues before they escalate - leading to a reduction in injury and an increase in productivity.
Deliverables (throughout season)
For all workers:
Continued access to the comprehensive resource library providing workers with immediate access to tools and supports to help with:
Current mental health struggles
Risk assessments
In camp conflicts/issues
Access to individual sessions with a trained clinical counselor with a background in silviculture that:
Ensures risks are identified and managed appropriately
Reduces negative physical health outcomes including injuries and low productivity
Improves mental health outcomes
For management:
Access to clinical mental health oversight when issues arise in camp to:
Equip management to better identify and assess risk
Appropriately assign responsibility of care in different circumstances
Receive unbiased and trauma informed feedback with interventions and guidance on next steps
Reduce company liability
Through this program I expect to not only see an increase in overall health, well being and safety in camp but also in company and planter productivity and efficiency. Creating a safer workforce is a shared responsibility between workers, management and companies, and mental health and wellness play an integral part.
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Resource packages will include specialized information sheets, exercises and worksheets focused on mental and emotional well being, supporting workers to enter the season confidently, access supports throughout the season and aid in their transition home.
Topics include: injuries (days off in camp, isolation, shame etc.), social issues (peer pressure, bullying, isolation etc.), relationships (breakups in camp, friendships, gossip etc.), sexual health and violence (consent, assault, trauma, reporting etc.), drug and alcohol use (safety, sobriety, judgement, overdoses etc.), competition, grief and transitions, traumatic events and more
Further specialized resources available for checkers, tree runners, cooks and other positions
*All resources will be adapted to match company policies where necessary.
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Pre season in person (or online) presentations that will support folks in management roles to better support themselves and colleagues.
Topics include: managing crew dynamics, assessing mental health risks, effective communication, leadership skills, stress management, emotional regulation (including anger management) and more
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1:1 sessions with a clinical counselor specializing in silviculture. Triage support with guaranteed 48 hour turnaround for folks needing extra support. This will be provided through phone or video.
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Structured process of guiding, monitoring, and supporting folks to ensure safe, high quality and compliant care. This includes access to a clinical counselor for management regarding risk assessments or concerns about workers. This service has a guaranteed 24 hour turnaround and includes email or messaging.
Services breakdown
Cost
Rooted in Wellness is a subscription based program, priced per employee for access to resources and management training. 1:1 counseling sessions are charged per session. Although Rooted in Wellness has been developed as a full service program, a la carte options are available to customize service and support.
I am currently looking for companies who are interested in piloting this program for the 2027 season. I would love to chat, you can book an appointment through the booking link below (Rooted in Wellness Check in) or contact me by phone or email.