Forestry Technician – Adaptive Practices (Co-op)
Formerly named: Forestry Technician (Optional Co-op)
The Forestry Technician career path will appeal to you if you are passionate about the outdoors, and concerned for the responsible management of forest resources.
Program Information
Start Date
September 02, 2025
Domestic Availability
Accepting Applications
International Availability
Closed
Program Code
FTN
Delivery
In Person, Co-op
Credential
Ontario College Diploma
Academic School
Location
Program Contact
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Canadian StudentsView Curriculum
As a Forestry Technician, you will be part of a close-knit community of men and women across the country who are making a difference in our environment. In this two-year program, you’ll learn to work effectively in natural resources management, gaining traditional forestry skills such as compassing and tree identification along with more technical skills working with ArcMap, GPS and other high-tech software.
This program is delivered in-person and combines theory with technical hands-on experiences including a paid co-op, numerous field excursions, and our unique field camp experience. With a focus on managing the forests of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence and Boreal Forest regions for resilience in the face of climate change, graduates will be equipped to carry out technical functions relating to the creation, management, conservation, and restoration of sustainable forests in both public and private operations with a specialization in adaptive practices. These adaptive practices include responses to environmental, social and economic changes within industry.
The curriculum exceeds provincial program standards and better positions graduates for a pathway to applied degrees - bringing them closer to achieving the Registered Professional Forester (RPF) designation.
Students in the program will participate in a mandatory paid co-op. The co-op provides the opportunity to:
- Integrate classroom learning with work-based learning
- Explore the variety of careers available in the field
- Network for future job opportunities
Want to gain an international perspective on forestry? Through an international exchange program, you can visit Europe for as little as three weeks or as long as one semester, attending courses at our partner institution - the University of Padua in Legnaro, Italy.
With a smaller college size and such a positive learning atmosphere it made me excited about going to class each and every day. All the teachers and field trips truly provided me with the knowledge and tools to achieve great careers in the forestry industry. Since graduating, I've worked with the OMNRF as an Assistant Forest Technician where I collected research data on invasive insects and diseases that are drastically altering the landscapes of our forests. We also tested out many preventative measures for possible solutions to ensure the next generation of trees are healthy and managed. Currently, I am working in the recently burned areas of northern British Columbia. I have been mapping boundaries for different types of cut blocks, probing for invasive species, assessing the health of trees, and performing silviculture surveys in stands affected by fungal diseases.
Sara Franchuk, Program Graduate - Junior Forestry Technician with a Forestry resource management company in British Columbia
With the renowned cluster of programming available at Fleming, we are proud to be leaders in Forestry education. And after five decades of producing top-notch grads, the close-knit forestry industry seeks them out for new hiring opportunities every year. We have an excellent reputation for producing competent and skilled technicians for a variety of agencies, companies and organizations. Employers recognize that the students’ training is holistic and prepares them for a range of required tasks and duties. With the newly revised curriculum, our graduates will be in-demand to respond to the quickly changing conditions within the industry.
With substantial field trip, field camp, and experiential learning components involving critical forestry equipment from basal prisms and clinometers to chainsaws and sawmills, to GIS software, this program is designed to be hands-on.
Field excursions and our field camp allow you to practice your forestry skills while developing teamwork skills.
A paid co-op allows you to integrate your school-based learning with a real-world workplace, at the same time as making valuable employer connections.
Forestry Technicians are responsible for resource management planning and protection. Experience working in parks, nature centres, or similar venues, either as a volunteer or employee, would be an asset. Your success in forestry will be greatly helped if you have:
- a passion for forests, environment, outdoors
- problem-solving ability
- strong organizational skills
- good background in maths, sciences
- willingness to move for a career opportunity
For information on the variety of careers in forestry and the growing need for skilled forestry employees, visit: http://thegreenestworkforce.ca
There are career opportunities anywhere there is a forest, in rural, wilderness, and urban settings. Major employers in the field seek to hire Fleming graduates, so there are many career opportunities straight out of college. You could find yourself working for hydroelectric companies, conservation authorities, municipalities, forest industry (woodlands, sawmills, pulp mills), government agencies, forest nurseries, federal/provincial forestry-related ministries, and private contractors both within Canada and abroad. Job titles you may hold include forest ecosystem assessor, firefighter, silviculture technician, forest technician, conservation authority technician, forest operation supervisor, and forest planner. With additional training, you could also work as a forester. There are lots of opportunities for women! Employers of Forestry Technicians are after brains, not brawn in the men and women they hire.
Plan to spend about $1,100 in the first year and $1,800 in the second year for books, supplies and camp fees.
The Indigenous Perspectives Designation (IPD) is an option available to students in this program. To qualify for an IPD, you must take and successfully complete a series of required Indigenous Studies courses as well as participate in a minimum of four approved co-curricular Indigenous events or experiences. Your transcript will indicate the IPD upon graduation, a designation that provides you with a comprehensive understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions to our shared society within the context of your program of study. The IPD provides a valuable skill set sought after in today's employment sector.
- Conduct forest inventory surveys and field measurements to determine forest resources and values in forests and woodlots.
- Assess soil characteristics, vegetation and wildlife habitats to identify their interactions within forest ecosystems.
- Perform technical functions in silvicultural operations and assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of silvicultural practices.
- Collect, analyze, interpret, and display spatial data using mapping technology and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to contribute to forest resource management.
- Contribute to sustainable forest management plans, including conservation and rehabilitation measures, taking into consideration the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders and the requirements of relevant legislation and regulations.
- Identify and analyze forest diseases, pests, invasive species and other disturbance events and implement mitigation strategies to maintain and improve forest ecosystems.
- Select, operate, troubleshoot and maintain tools and equipment in a variety of environmental conditions and in accordance with safety and operating standards.
- Work independently and in a collaborative environment while applying effective teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills.
- Communicate technical information to a variety of stakeholders in oral, written, visual and electronic forms.
- Develop strategies for ongoing professional development to enhance work performance in the forestry sector.
- Examine and identify modifications for conventional silvicultural treatments to assist forest ecosystems in adapting to changing climate and environments.
- Examine the impact of economic and resource changes on the adaptations in the forest industry for the processing and use of wood products.
- Design terrestrial habitat management approaches that adapt to changes in natural heritage conservation trends.
Students applying to Forestry Technician – Adaptive Practices (Co-op) must meet the following requirements:
- OSSD including Gr 12 C English and Gr 12 C Math
In The News: Forestry Technician – Adaptive Practices (Co-op)
Transfer Agreements
You may be able to use credits obtained at Fleming College to continue your postsecondary education in pursuit of a degree. The articulation and credit transfer agreements with our partner institutions are summarized here.
Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies and Digital Technology
Requirement
- Minimum mid-70% cumulative program average.
Transfer Credit
- 60 out of a 120 credit degree.
- Refer to ONTransfer.ca for further details.
To apply please see the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website.
For more information
Visit the Ontario Tech University website for further articulation and program information.
Visit the ONTransfer.ca website for agreement information.
Bachelor of Commerce
Requirement
- Minimum mid-70% cumulative program average.
- Completion of the Ontario Tech Commerce Bridge.
Transfer Credit
- 45 out of a 120 credit degree.
- Refer to ONTransfer.ca for further details.
To apply please see the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website.
For more information
Visit the Ontario Tech University website for further articulation and program information.
Visit the ONTransfer.ca website for agreement information.
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Requirement
- Minimum 70% cumulative program average.
Transfer Credit
- Entry into 4th semester standing in an 8-semester program.
To apply please see the Ontario Colleges website.
For more information
Visit the Seneca College website for further articulation and program information.
Visit the ONTransfer.ca website for agreement information.
See the official articulation agreement.
Ben Walters
Ben Walters joined Fleming in 2016 to teach online Sustainable Trails courses and became a full-time faculty member in the Forestry cluster in 2017. Ben teaches Forest Ecosystems, GIS in Forestry, Forest Data Collection, Applied Forestry and Field Camp courses. Before joining Fleming, Ben was Northumberland County’s Forest Manager. In that role, he managed the County’s Forest Conservation By-Law and the Northumberland Forest’s 2225-hectare (5500-acre) conservation, recreational trail and silviculture programs, with management interests in conifer plantation conversion and rare Black Oak Woodland/Black Oak Savannah. Ben has worked from the shores of Assateague, Virginia to Akimiski Island, Nunavut and almost everywhere in between. A graduate of Fleming’s Parks and Forest Recreation and Ecosystem Management Technician programs, Ben also has a Ph.D. in Environmental and Life Sciences from Trent University. While there he studied the ecoclimatic relationships between soil moisture and snow cover with arthropods and forest bird nest survival in red pine plantations and mixed-deciduous forest. At Fleming his applied research focuses on the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler, working with partners to expand habitat in Ontario. He strives to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to be the best stewards of our forests.
Cole Vander Schaaf
Cole started at Fleming College in 2019 as a technologist in the Forestry, Urban Forestry, and Arboriculture programs. She supports courses throughout those programs both in the field for practical labs and classes and behind the scenes organizing field trips, camps, and events, managing inventory and study sets, preparing lab materials, and purchasing and maintaining equipment. Cole also supports courses in the common semesters by preparing botanical samples for study sets and delivering labs related to tree identification and forest measurement. Cole is passionate about connecting with students through sharing resources, language and culture. She works to support initiatives such as the Frost Crafter's Collective and the Free Market pop-up events that drive sustainability and she participated as a panelist in the Birds of Paradise (Frost's 2SLGBTQIA+ club) discussions to open conversations around queerness in the environmental sector. She also enjoys supporting community-based events held on campus such as the Ontario Woodlot Association's Community Woodlot Conference, the annual Fleming Tree Climbing Competition, and Women in Trees/Trades. Prior to starting at Fleming, Cole worked as a climbing arborist in production tree care in Uxbridge, Ontario specializing in plant health care, tree planting, tree pruning, and sales. Cole found tree care as her second career and brings skills from her 11 years in supervisory and management roles in high-volume, customer service environments in downtown Toronto. In her free time, Cole obsessively trains her young pup, loves to hike the trails in Uxbridge, and enjoys a restorative canoe-in camp a couple times a year.
Ryan McNaughton
Ryan McNaughton, a seasoned Forestry Technician and ISA Certified Arborist, brings over a decade of diverse experience to his role as Forestry Cluster Technologist at Fleming College, where he leverages his knowledge and passion for sustainable forestry to help educate and inspire the next generation of forestry professionals. Previously, at Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve, Ryan coordinated silviculture projects, managed tree marking, and ensured operations aligned with long-term sustainability goals. His commitment extends beyond work, seen in his volunteer efforts training forestry students and contributing to community projects in Nepal. When off campus, Ryan can be found stomping around his property with his wife and dog, or out paddling on the open waters.
Scott Davis
Scott joined Fleming College in 2013 teaching Forest Fire Science then Forest Ecology & Silvics, Silviculture, and Forests and Society. Prior to joining Fleming, Scott spent seventeen years with the Eastern Ontario Model Forest delivering their forest certification program to private and community forests covering 75,000 hectares of forests in eastern and central Ontario. Throughout his career, Scott has planted at least 200,000 trees, worked on over 60 forest fires, managed active forestry operations and worked in most provinces. Scott is an active member with forestry focused organizations and encourages students to volunteer, deliver and participate in workshops, events, and conferences. In his spare time Scott can be found at the family camp north of Havelock making limited progress on the list of things to do. Scott was the recent recipient of the Ross Silversides Award recognizing outstanding contributions to forestry in eastern Ontario.
Tom Mikel
Tom Mikel teaches several courses throughout the Forestry and Arboriculture programs including Dendrology, Tree Sciences and Practices and Forest Products. Tom is an ISA Certified Arborist and a Fleming Forestry and Arboriculture graduate himself. Before his career in teaching, Tom operated a tree care business specializing in private tree care and custom sawmilling. Tom's passion is everything trees, from biology and studying the living tree through to its final form of lumber and forest products. When not teaching Tom can be found in his home workshop building wood projects from lumber he has milled himself.
Katrina Van Osch-Saxon
Katrina has been teaching within Fleming’s School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences since 2012. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. before attending Fleming’s Environmental Pest Management diploma and Arboriculture certificate programs. Katrina has worked in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta as a tree planter, crew boss and tree quality inspector. She is also a certified arborist and ran Niagara Tree Service for 12 years with her husband before returning to Fleming to teach. She believes in an ecosystem approach to tree care and is keen to share her passion for forest health with her students. In 2017, she received Fleming’s Charles E. Pascal Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the 2021 Spotlight Award for Student & Employer Success. Katrina’s mission is to empower people, especially women, to join her and a growing number of women working with trees. She founded the Women in Trees (WIT) conference at Frost Campus and is the cofounder of Women in Natural Resources (WINRS). These conferences bring together women in the industry and young women interested in careers in arboriculture and forestry for networking and mentoring to raise awareness about different opportunities for women in the sector. Outside of work, Katrina can be found with her partner on their little homestead growing food, building things, and hanging out with her animals.