Forestry - University of Maine at Fort Kent

About the Program

UMFK’s Forestry programs will provide you with the knowledge and hands-on learning experience you will need for a successful career in forestry.

You will work with forest owners to help them sustainably manage their land for wildlife, timber, and recreation.
You will conduct timber cruises, mark timber for harvest, plan roads and implement forestry best management practices
You will use science to develop forest management plans and manage timber harvesting operations.
You will help protect forests, preserve forest ecosystems, and wildlife habitats.
You will understand everything from forest ecology to soil science to wildlife management to forest operations and business.

There’s no better place to study forestry than the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Here’s why….

Location. We are located at the confluence of the Fish and St. John Rivers in the heart of Maine’s north woods and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. This provides opportunities for hands-on field work in a variety of forest ecosystems, forest ownerships, wildlife habitats, and rural land uses that are unmatched in the state, the northeast US, and the nation.

Affordability. We are the least expensive forestry school in the northeastern US and one of the most affordable in the country. In many cases, UMFK’s out-off-state tuition rate is lower than in-state tuition at forestry degree programs at other universities in the region.

Accreditation. UMFK’s A.A.S. in Applied Forest Management has long been accredited by the Society of American Foresters. As a new program, the B.S. in Forest Management builds on that successes and will be SAF-accredited once it has successfully passed through a period of candidacy.

Forest Management – Bachelor of Science

The B.S. in Forest Management builds on the courses comprising UMFK’s A.S. in Applied Forest Management, adding courses like advanced silviculture and mensuration, forest finance and timber procurement and forest policy that broaden the curriculum’s overall focus on forest management.

Professor Libin Louis works with a student in the forest

Applied Forest Management – Associate of Science

Prepare for a career in forestry with UMFK’s Applied Forest Management degree.

Applied Forest Management Details

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate

Earn a GIS Certificate, available on-campus or online. GIS provides a wealth of career opportunities. GIS can be applied to any field of study.

GIS Certificate Details

Career Opportunities in Forestry

This is a great time to seek a career in forestry! The ratio of jobs to graduates is at an all-time high, and that ratio is only expected to increase.

The Associate of Science (A.S.) in Applied Forest Management and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Forest Management respond to the increasing statewide and national demand for professional foresters. Data suggest that “forester jobs are in demand,” with a growth rate of five percent for the period 2018-28.

Graduates find work as:

Foresters
Forest technicians
Managers of forest operations
Rangers for federal and state agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and the Maine Forest Service
GIS specialists

A forester oversees the harvesting of trees

Meet UMFK’s Graduates

Alumni

Adam Bagley

Adam Bagley Maine Forest Ranger Applied Forest Management and Conservation Law Enforcement Graduate I chose …

Alumni

Zachary Cox

Raised in a small mill town in downeast Maine, I knew I always wanted to …

Alumni

Jon Haley

Having grown up in the St. John Valley, I knew from high school that I …

Alumni

Jake Pliskaner

When I first graduated from high school in 2017 I decided to enroll in UMFK’s …

Professional Certification

After you earn your degree and acquire four years of supervised work experience, you’ll be eligible to become a Maine Licensed Forester. Students also test for the S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws certification and a Maine Pesticide Applicator’s License.

two female students inspect leaves while in the forest

Minors

Customize your degree to match your career goals with one of these minors.

Forestry Minor

You will gain general knowledge of Maine’s most important natural resource and an understanding of forest biology and management.

Forestry Minor info

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Minor

With a GIS background you will have a competitive advantage easily find starting positions with government agencies or private firms.

GIS Minor Info

Potential employers include:

Consulting foresters
Land management companies
Forest industry
Forestry, conservation, and agriculture departments of the state and federal governments.
Logging contractors
Timber and Fiber Procurement

Employers who have hired our graduates in recent years include:

U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
American Forest Management
Irving Woodlands LLC
James W. Sewall Company
Landvest
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Maine Forest Service
Maine Land Use Regulation Commission
Seven Islands Land Company
Wagner Forest Management, Ltd.

Foresters

Foresters are responsible for the conservation of working forests. This means monitoring the health and directing the growth of forest stands where timber is harvested while following laws, best management practices, and scientific research to build and conserve habitats for fish and wildlife. Foresters understand history and write the future. Daily tasks vary according to the size and goals of the landowner or agency. A forester may provide comprehensive services to many small landowners or specialize in a particular aspect of forestry within a larger company or agency.

a forester uses spraypaint to mark the end of a log

Forest Technicians

Technicians carry out the day-to-day tasks of forestry. They provide skills in areas such as forest inventory, boundary surveying, timber marking, timber harvesting and road layout, and the supervision of harvesting, thinning, and planting crews. One outstanding option for an industry position is UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Government employers may prefer UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Conservation Law Enforcement with Natural Resources concentration or Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Forest Rangers

Forest rangers are in the business of forest protection. Their job involves the detection, prevention, and suppression of forest fires and the monitoring of potentially damaging native and invasive insect populations. Additionally, the job involves a great deal of public education. In some states, forest rangers are involved in prescribed burning. This is a forest management tool used in forest regeneration, to reduce fuels and fire potential, and to enhance wildlife habitat.

In Maine, forest rangers have the added duty of enforcing forestry and environmental law. A Maine forest ranger’s work includes preparing and updating fire action plans, training firefighters, and supervising suppression operations.

Forest Operations

Forest operators include equipment operators and crew supervisors. A recent trend has emerged where the forest industry is seeking forestry-educated individuals to run wood processors and other equipment. Several recent graduates are working in such positions. Others have become contractors and are running their own harvesting and operations companies. The UMFK business management major, coupled with a forestry degree, is a useful combination for individuals seeking careers in the business side of forestry. Both degrees can be completed in four years.

two forestry professionals on foresting equipment looking at a tablet computer

GIS/GPS Technicians

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field continues to provide many career opportunities for our students and graduates. There has been an increased number of paid internships in GIS and global positioning (GPS) for our students. Graduates in forestry have enough background in GPS and GIS to qualify as technicians for the growing GIS Industry. GIS technicians perform digitizing (mapping), GPS data collection, and basic GIS tasks. State government and private corporations currently have openings for mapping or cartographic technicians.

Students seeking employment as a GIS specialist may further their studies with the GIS Minor if they are Bachelor’s students, or GIS Certificate if they are Associate’s students, the GIS concentration under the Computer Systems Administration Major, or one in the Environmental Studies Program.

UMFK GIS student working on their laptop in the science lab.

GIS specialists have more extensive training in database management, programming, and geospatial analysis and are currently sought after by the industry. Both educational options at UMFK provide graduates with the skills to compete in this growing field. UMFK is a member of the Maine GIS Education Consortium, a group of University of Maine System Schools actively promoting GIS undergraduate education and post-graduate educational opportunities.

Sample of Courses

FOR 100: Introduction to Forestry
FOR 131: Spreadsheets for Natural Resource Professionals
FOR 109: Dendrology
FOR 132: Forest Protection I
FOR 242: Map and LiDAR Interpretation
FOR 208: Forest Products, Harvesting, and Transportation
FOR 290: Forest Mensuration
GEO 103: Introduction To Global Positioning Systems
FOR 203: Surveying for Foresters
FOR 226: Forest Operations
FOR 332: Forest Inventory and Analysis
BUS 211: Introduction of Business

FOR 260: Silvics (Forest Ecology)
FOR 360: Silviculture
GIS 300: GIS Applications I
ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation & Management
OR
ENV 334: Wildlife Science
OR
ENV 354: Wildlife Habitat Interactions
SSC 327: Interpersonal Skills for Supervisors
FOR 330: Forest Protection II
FOR 350: Forest Management Practicum
FOR 361: Silvics/Silviculture Lab