Trials of spot scarification with an excavator were conducted in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of Quebec to compliment the natural regeneration of harvested sites. The technique consisted of concentrating the scarification
where advance regeneration was less abundant so as to improve the site’s stocking. Thanks to the flexibility of the excavator, spot scarification produced microsites suitable for in-fill planting or seeding, while preserving a large proportion of the softwood advance regeneration. A winter treatment with simultaneous seeding was also tested for sites that are inaccessible during the summer. The results demonstrated that the productivity of a treatment based on partial scarification with an excavator depended on the treatment intensity, and that the use of this treatment in winter did not significantly reduce the operation’s productivity.