Spruce trees are often the first species to establish themselves along disturbed soil in grassy areas, often along new or imperfectly maintained trails that have broken the surface of the lawn exposing bare soil. Often a whole dense patch or row of tiny spruce will begin sprouting along the trails edge, and given enough time will eventually overtake the trail or road as they grow, usually exactly opposite of what the trail builder hoped for!

But if you want to reestablish spruce forests on beetle killed areas rather than going to meadow, alder or tundra, then carefully disturbing the surface cover will dramatically speed up the transition.

Picture at left shows small spruce shoots establishing themselves along the edge of the trail.