How to acquire forestry skill?

[Lieutenant Commander Data]

I have high blacksmith, mining, etc but not a single point in forestry and it is starting to look like a desert around my base. How does one begin forestry at 0.0/0.0 skill?
Most likely I am overlooking an obvious issue.

Thanks!

[matantemetal]

Pick up spouts and plant them somewhere. Planting trees increases skill faster than just collecting sprouts.

When the skills are basic, the only ones you will be able to plant will be the varieties of trees that produce little wood but as your skill increases, you will be able to plant other varieties, so possibly pines and oaks which respectively give the more soft and hard wood.

Note that the sprouts you collect will never be higher than the value of your skill even if the quality of the tree where you collected it is 100.

[matantemetal]

Also, I can't remember in what order the forestry is placed in the skill tree, but you have to unlock the previous skills in the tree to be able to pick up sprouts.

[Desbotte]

Forage for sprout instead of cutting trees... Like a forester.

And plant sprouts... To keep trees alive and in well being, not like firefox

[EneCtin]

Plus, have 60 in the skills that lead up to forestry so you do not be locked at 29
Plant and plant like crazy with a full food bar (preferably complex foods if someone lends you some). Focus first on hazel and juniper then birch and spruce at 30 and so on

[Hal]

Forestry is often overlooked. You need at least 60 in farming before you can begin.
This is when the fun starts! At this point you can only collect sprouts. so collect sprouts,lots an lots an lots. Go for walkies take some food with you, explore whist you collect, your aim is to get your skill level up to 60. Oh BTW just dump the sprouts, you don't need them! Now with your skill @ 60 you can now start to plant some softwood trees. what I do is this collect a shipload of sprouts of the type you can plant also 30 forest soil-- find a nice quiet spot where you are safe place down your forest soil. Then plant a sprout- cut it down- rinse and repeat. your aim is to raise your skill level to 90! at that level you can plant ......OAK...... Yes I hear you say 'that's a lot of hard work'.... no pain no gain!
Being able to plant a 100 q oak is cool, to harvest it and reap the rewards is even better
I think I have answered your Question. the Flack that follows regarding Quality etc
is another issue. I hope I have been of some help. I myself have done this many many times
I have enjoyed this game since day one,minus one year off due to ill health and have 4k hours played. Enjoy!

[EneCtin]

You need a TON of wood to build structures, forestry is (was) the main skill in all my builds.
One thing to add, trees under 67 quality have half their wood quantity even when mature. A birch for example, at Q68 will give you 320 wood but at Q66 will yeild only 160 wood.