But the planted seedlings were growing only a half centimeter per year, far less than necessary to meet future harvest expectations. Many had died, and the clear-cut had been declared “not satisfactorily restocked.” To fix this problem, the company foresters planned to spray herbicides to kill the overtopping shrubs, thereby “releasing” the remaining planted prickly spruce seedlings so they could have all the light, water, and nutrients to themselves.
