Forestry has always been a family affair at Sylvan Vale Nursery. Founded in 1980 by Selwyn and Phyllis Jones, this little nursery in Black Creek on Vancouver Island is where you’ll find the next generation of BC’s forests. As their motto “From Seed to Site” suggests, Sylvan Vale produces precious seedlings destined for reforestation efforts across the province.

The multi-generational nursery came from humble beginnings, starting with just a single greenhouse in production. Today, Sylvan Vale is home to 44 freestanding greenhouses, which produce about seven to eight million seedlings a year. The nursery also employs about 15 full-time employees, in addition to 45 seasonal workers at harvest time. Talk about an impressive growth spurt!

The future of forestry is in good hands at Sylvan Vale. Third generation growers Sanna Larose and Dylan Paquet are busy putting down some roots of their own. “I get to work where I live, I get to work with the family, and Black Creek is such a beautiful place to grow up and work,” says Dylan who has worked in the family business for the past five years. Sanna, on the other hand, loves the payoff of seeing the seedlings to harvest. “I think it’s a pretty amazing experience to have this cycle continue year after year, and just to get the seedlings – to see them from beginning to end to where we ship them out is a pretty rewarding experience.”