About Us

Founded in 1973, Coast Range is one of the first tree planting companies in Canada.

We have experienced a lot of changes over the years, and now we are a single-owner operation that plants over 10 million seedlings a year in the interior of British Columbia. Our typical season begins late-April and runs through the end of July. Our experienced management team and cooking staff translates into well-run contracts and happy, well-fed planters. We pay competitive prices, with our top three planters earning an average of $458.40 per day, and over 24 planters earning over $15,000 per season.

At Coast Range our main priority is safety. We have been SAFE Certified since 2007, and pride ourselves in having one of the most thorough Health & Safety programs in the industry. We are committed to providing our employees with up-to-date training and safe work procedures to minimize risks, while delivering excellent service to both our clients and employees.

Our Values

We are guided by our core values. They make us the company we are today and keep us focused on where we want to be tomorrow.

Safety: The physical and mental safety of each employee is the first priority at Coast Range. We promote behaviours that reflect responsibility, consent, and trust.

Quality: We seek to meet and exceed the expectations of every contract. We take pride in our work. We are accountable for our actions and attitudes.

Respect: Every Coast Range employee deserves to work in a respectful workplace, where honesty, gratitude, and humility lead the way.

Communication: We believe that clear communication and teamwork is critical to our success. We want to hear what you think. Your feedback is crucial to the continual improvement for which we strive.

Maximization of opportunities: Keeping the first four values front of mind, we want to foster an environment where you can maximize your opportunities in earning money, developing camaraderie, learning, and challenging yourself to improve.

A Message from the Owner, Garth Hadley

Garth Hadley, Owner of Coast Range Contracting Ltd.

“I am a tree planter. My vision for Coast Range is a tree planting company that I would want to work for.

When you plant for Coast Range, you are joining a family: a diverse community of open-minded individuals focused on safety, efficiency and continual improvement. We work together, striving every day to do our best in one of the toughest occupations in the world.

Coast Range is about people; about treating each other they way you would want to be treated. We are driven by an attitude of safety that pervades all that we do.

There is no one physical type that makes a successful tree planter. It is all between the ears. Success in planting demands a positive attitude and mental strength.

Tree planting at Coast Range is about maximizing your opportunities: the opportunity to earn, develop deep and long-lasting friendships, while constantly challenging yourself, both mentally and physically.

Some of the most accomplished people in our society attribute their achievements to what they learned tree planting. If you can succeed at tree planting, you can succeed at anything.”

Meet our leadership team

Brett Foster (he/him) – Director of Operations

Brett has been with Coast Range for over a decade and serves as the main point of contact for clients and stakeholders while leading the implementation of client contracts. Brett oversees project logistics and develops strategies to streamline company operations.

Vanessa Purves, RPF (she/her) – Manager of Safety, Human Resources, and Training

Vanessa has over 25 years of experience in the forestry industry. She leads the hiring team, provides training for Coast Range employees, does payroll, and liaises with WorkSafeBC and Service Canada during the season. She reviews and updates our safety program and is our internal SAFE company auditor.

Connor Parry (they/them) – Project Manager

Connor leads projects out in the field and is the Camp Supervisor of one of our remote work camps. They are involved in the planning and implementation of our operations as well as hiring and training our workforce. Out of the field you can find Connor in the mountains skiing and biking or under the sea photographing the creatures off the BC coast.

Sydney Trotter (she/her) – Project Manager

Sydney has been working with Coast Range for four years and is excited to be heading into this next season as a supervisor for one of the camps. In the off season, you can find her hiking, singing, and teaching music to kids!

Bobby Lyttle (he/him) – Field Supervisor

Bobby works closely with the Camp Supervisor and field staff to ensure good access into blocks and doing whatever he can to help the season run smoothly in camp and in the field. Off season you will find Bobby working hard on equipment maintenance and upgrades.

David Basterfield (he/him) – Field Supervisor

David has more than 10 years experience with Coast Range in a variety of positions. In the field David works closely with the Camp Supervisor, field staff and planters to ensure that everyone has a safe, successful, and memorable season. David also plays a key role in the fabrication and maintenance of camp equipment and infrastructure. Outside of the planting season you can find him snowboarding, mountain biking or seeking other adventures.

Emily Downey (she/her) – Hiring Team Member & Quality Assessor

In the off season, Emily is part of the hiring team – reviewing applications and conducting interviews. During planting, she works hard to ensure the client specifications are being met and provides valuable feedback to planters and Crew Leaders.