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.
Video: Forest Access Systems for Better Water Quality
Dr. Andy Egan, Professor of Forestry and Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professional Studies, examines the relationship between forest access systems and water quality. This video explores the principles of forest road construction and offers methods for constructing and maintaining these roads to minimize their impact on water quality.
Minors
Customize your degree to match your career goals with one of these minors.
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.
Meet UMFK’s Graduates
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.
Program Requirements
- BUS 211: Introduction to Business
- CRJ 346: Environmental Law
- ECO 100: Introduction to Macroeconomics
- ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation and Management OR
ENV 334: Wildlife Science - ENV 310: Soil Science
- FOR 100: Introduction to Forestry
- FOR 109: Dendrology
- FOR 131: Spreadsheets for Natural Resource Professionals
- FOR 132: Forest Protection I
- FOR 203: Boundary Line Identification and Deed Research
- FOR 208: Forest Products, Harvesting, and Transportation
- FOR 226: Forest Operations
- FOR 242: Map and LiDAR Interpretation
- FOR 260: Forest Ecology
- FOR 290: Forest Mensuration
- FOR 330: Forest Protection II
- FOR 332: Forest Inventory and Analysis
- FOR 350: Forest Management Practicum
- FOR 360: Silviculture
- FOR 361: Silvics/Silviculture Lab
- GEO 103: Introduction To Global Positioning Systems
- GIS 300: GIS Applications I
- MAT 128: College Algebra
- MAT 251: Statistics I
- SSC 327: Interpersonal Skills for Supervisors
Affordability
Least expensive forestry school in the northeastern U.S.
3.5 million acres
North Maine Woods
US Forest Service
One of our many internship opportunities
Forestry Spotlight
Meet the faculty who make this program so successful.