The article presents the results of afforestation of steep slopes by the example of the Republic of Tatarstan. The total area of forests of the Republic of Tatarstan is 1 million 268 thousand ha, including the area of forest fund lands of 1 million 232 thousand ha, which is 18.7 % of the region’s territory. The use of planting material with a closed root system in the creation of protective forest plantations (gully, field protection) guarantees a rooting rate higher than the average norm. The forest cover of the Republic of Tatarstan will increase and is expected to be 17.6 percent at the end of 2029. The research was conducted on a slope in the hydrographic network of the Shumbutka River, where intensive soil flushing occurs. The study area contains 23.10 hectares of protective forest plantations. All surveyed stands have relatively high values in the categories “healthy” (81.0%), “weakened” (18.0%) and “severely weakened” (1.0%). There are no trees in the categories of “dried out”, “fresh drywood” and “old drywood”, which reduce the overall stand weakening values. According to the results of the conducted research, we revealed that afforestation of steep slopes with the Saba sword tool allows planting in hard-to-reach places (steepness of more than 12%). It is impossible to use machinery there; the use of planting material with a closed root system gives positive results, which is mainly reflected in a high survival rate of tree species. In the second year of the research, the closed root system provides higher biometric indices of planted crops. Positive results were obtained in the sowing of oak cherry with the sword tool “Saba”. Ground germination was 67.0%. Preservation by the end of the growing season of 2023 was 85.0%. According to the proposed technology, oak trees in biogroups grow better than acorns do when sown alone. The growth intensity of tree species mainly depends on the agro-technique of protective forest plantations, soil and climatic conditions, slope exposure, availability of water in the soil, the degree of infestation by various diseases and pests.