Prior to the 1970s, the BC Forest Service used
hourly wages to pay tree planters, but piece rates
were adopted when the Forest Service began to
engage silvicultural contractors. Contracts were
awarded according to ‘low-bid’ and implemented
on an area basis, with contractors paying piece
rates to their workers. By the early 1980s, planters
received an average C$0.15 ] 0.20 per tree, de-. pending on the terrain Davis-Case, 1985 .