Review of the literature on the future of wood resulted in the conclusion that long term future demand will be for large quantities of cheap fibre. There is likely to be a reduction in emphasis on the form and dimension of individual trees. Mechanization and automation are defined and the relative importance of tree establishment within the total forest industry noted. Some general principles of forest mechanization are proposed and discussed. The New Zealand potentials for wood fibre production and forest mechanization are analysed. Reforestation history of radiata pine (Pinus radiata, D.Don.) in New Zealand is briefly described, and the basis for, and problems with, bare-root planting are discussed. An alternative tree establishment system, involving the precision setting of a bullet-like container enclosing a seed, is proposed. The case for this theoretical system is argued on the basis of its potential biological equality with bare-root planting, which the author considers to be sufficiently promising to be worthy of field investigation, and its suitability to total mechanization. Some possible costs of the system are calculated and potential benefits are postulated. It is concluded that the concept is worthy of careful field study in New Zealand. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate