Other Transportation

In all systems used for seedling transport, the objective must be to maintain the correct temperature and humidity levels. Systems that cannot meet this objective throughout the complete transport period are not acceptable. At a minimum, monitor root mass temperature and take measures to provide for high relative humidity. Some systems that have worked well are:

• Insulated trailers, or insulated slip-on units, with separate sections loaded with snow or ice.
  
  
• Truck transport at night with snow or ice packed around seedling cartons that have been covered with wet, porous material. Do not use petroleum-treated tarpaulins or nonporous plastics to cover seedling packages.

If a storage facility is located at a remote site (a snow cache, for example) that can not be reached by plowed roads, deliver seedlings by an oversnow machine or by helicopter. Do not air drop seedlings by paracargo chutes.