our aim was to determine the long-term effect of a mulching treatment on Cu (copper) and Ni (nickel) uptake by tree seedlings from smelter-polluted forest soil in south western Finland. A mulch cover spread onto polluted barren soil didn't have a clear positive impact on the biomass production and it didn't decrease metal uptake by planted tree seedling during a ten-year study period. In contrast, the Cu uptake by the above-ground parts of birch was increased as a result of mulching although there were weak indications of slightly reduced availability of Cu and Ni to roots in the case of both species. As Cu and Ni concentrations of foliage and bark have been shown to be strongly affected by surface deposited metal containing aerosols, only the woody compartments were used as indications of metal uptake from soil. The Cu : Ni ratios of woody compartments were lower than those predicted by the Cu : Ni ratios of soil suggesting that the soil extraction method used gives an underestimation of available Ni in relation to Cu. The lower soil Ni(exch) concentrations on the mulch plots compared to the controls were in agreement with the slightly lower root Ni concentrations in the mulch treatments.