While requirements for industrial and fuel woods are increasing in India, the area of forest land is actually decreasing. Measures for meeting the long term requirements of the country in respect of forest produce and its economic and efficient exploitation on a large scale have been initiated by the Government through its numerous afforestation programmes. The primary requisite for a successful plantation programme is raising of planting stock in the nursery. Thus the exploitation of the resources in wastewater through recycling and reuse via the growth of forest tree seedlings could become a viable waste-management practice. A study was conducted to assess the early growth-response of some important forest-tree species to sewage and sludge applications. The results showed that the wastes had generally favourable effects on the germination and early seedling growth of forest-tree species.