Each year, several thousand seed withdrawals occur at the TSC. About 90% of these are seedling requests (SRQ) entered on SPAR. The remaining 10% are requested and entered on SPAR by TSC staff for research, education, public relations, private land reforestation and direct seeding.

Seed withdrawal requests are filled to meet nursery sowing dates, providing there is sufficient time to prepare and transport the seed. Seed withdrawal requests from current-year cone collections may also be scheduled, provided sufficient notice is given to the TSC and there is sufficient time to complete seed processing, testing and preparation for use (see Priority Processing and Operational Time Requirements). If insufficient time is available for germination testing a species average (SA) or seedlot estimated germination (SE) may be placed against the seedlot to calculate potential trees and grams of seed required.

Submitting requests

Seedling requests

Only registered seedlots may be used for Crown land reforestation and these seedlots and their attributes are listed on SPAR. On the ground we are in a time of transition from forest blocks harvested with a Forest development Plan under the Forest Practices Code (FPC) to blocks beginning to be harvested under Forest Stewardship plans under the Forest, Range and Practices Act (FRPA). For FPC blocks one is required to use seed of the best genetic quality which is intended to promote use of select (orchard produced and superior provenances) seed preferentially over standard or wild stand seed. With FRPA, at the time a seedling request is entered a person must select a seedlot with a Genetic Worth of five percent or greater if seed is available (i.e. one owns or can obtain seed at a reasonable price). Requests for seedlings may be made against registered seed by the respective owner(s) or other agencies if the seed is identified as surplus. Seed listed on SPAR as surplus is available to other agencies;

• Non-ministry use of a ministry seedlot - the TSC will invoice the purchaser for the cost of the seed and requested services after the seed has been shipped to the nursery using the current fee schedule (see Invoicing and Fee Schedules). For BC Timbers Sales owned seed, invoices will come directly from that organization.

• Surplus portions of non-ministry seedlots (The TSC will review these requests daily and send e-mail notification to the seedlot owner) - interested purchasers should contact the owners to verify seed availability and cost. When a purchase agreement has been reached, the TSC should be contacted to update the pending request on SPAR. Transfer of surplus or reserved seed from one agency to another is completed by the Tree Seed Centre, providing the seedlot owner has approved such a transfer via fax, email or mail.

To submit a seedling request, obtain direct access to SPAR and complete the request. Please contact, Tree Improvement Branch for more information about seedling request submissions and SPAR access.

Requests for other purposes

To submit a request for seed to be used for research, education, public relations, private land reforestation or direct seeding, e-mail or fax the request with the seed owner's authorization in writing to the Tree Seed Centre. We will enter the request on SPAR. These direct withdrawal requests are of two types:

1. DWD - direct withdrawal dry

2. DWP - direct withdrawal with preparation
   

If you are growing seedlings on speculation (without a contract) it is preferable to enter this as a sowing request on SPAR vs. a direct withdrawal.

Receipt of request information at the TSC

Requests for seedling production or other purposes are downloaded from SPAR into our local information management system (Cone and Seed Processing System or CONSEP). The TSC checks each request to ensure that information required to process it is available and that it can be processed as requested. Changes to existing requests, missing information, scheduling or other problems are resolved in consultation with Tree Improvement Branch staff, the grower, and/or the seed owner.

Seed preparation

Nurseries or clients may request that seed be forwarded dry for preparation at the nursery or other facility. Seed preparation covers the activities of stratification and pelleting. Seed preparation, or "stratification," involves a variety of treatments and normally includes soaking in running water, draining or drying, and a period of chilling at 2-5°C. Selection of the best treatment to break dormancy and encourage rapid and uniform germination is dependent on species and germination test results. Times to complete these treatments are considered as minimum standards (see Operational Time Requirements). Western redcedar and red alder seed is usually pellet coated at the request of the nursery as a means of increasing seed size, weight, and uniformity for ease in handling during precision seeding. The TSC provides seed pelleting services through a contract with a private pelleting service agent. The majority of seed stratification and pellet facilitation continues to be performed by the TSC at the request of the nursery and offered on a fee basis (see the current schedule Invoicing and Fee Schedules). Invoicing for seed preparation will be forwarded to the requesting agency once seed is sent to the nursery.

Seed transport

Tree Seed Centre staff work hard to ensure that seed shipments arrive on time and as requested or scheduled. Transport arrangements made with the client are most often by overnight courier service. All seed shipments are packed in insulated containers for protection and an ice pack is added to keep seed cool, but not frozen, during transport.