Project summaryDisturbances occurring within the boreal forest impairs ecosystem function and composition, which is the source of ecosystem services that we rely on for our own wellbeing. Therefore, restoring landscapes to a similar state prior to disturbance is required to balance intensive land use and practice sustainability. Ensuring the establishment and successful development of native herbaceous species has potential to set the site on a trajectory for desirable forest vegetation. Since forb establishment with seeds is not usually successful, seedlings have greater survivorship and affordability. One seedling consisting of two different species, a native forb and tree, that were grown in the same container allows the native forb to 'hitchhike' with the tree for site re-vegetation. After one year of growth, the effect of hitchhiker seedling stock type on the surrounding community composition was evaluated in this field study. The community composition surrounding single fireweed plants was different after the first year of growth. This difference my be explained by further exploration of the community plant species over time. Understanding the interaction between the vegetation community surrounding hitchhiker seedlings may have implications towards vegetation management to guide greater success of planted seedlings.
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