Category Archives: Forestry Education

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is opening nominations for the new Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth.

It will reward a First Nations, Metis or Inuit individual with strong academic standing who is committed to their field of study and to a career in the revitalized forest sector. The $2,500 award is targeted at youth from 18 to 25 who are now enrolled in an apprenticeship program, in college or in university.

“We are delighted to offer this award as part of our desire to attract more Aboriginal youth to the revitalized forest products industry,” says Catherine Cobden, the interim President and CEO of FPAC. “There are now huge career opportunities for those with the skills, knowledge and the desire to work in the sector. The forest products industry will need tens of thousands of new workers in the next decade and it is vitally important to us that we recruit our neighbours and natural partners in these rural communities: Aboriginal youth.”

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MAJESTA, the household paper product line of J.D. Irving, has narrowed down their Trees of Knowledge competition to 10 finalists.

The winning Canadian school will receive a $20,000 outdoor classroom.

To enter the contest, schools from across the country submitted detailed applications to the competition and a panel of expert judges, including representatives from MAJESTA, Tree Canada and Focus on Forests, who narrowed the entrants to the ten finalists.

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The University of Northern British Columbia is offering two free programs through its Employment Skills Access Program, funded by the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.

The programs offered are:

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Wildland Firefighting

To be eligible, workers must be unemployed and without employment insurance for three years, or be employed, but lacking sufficient training or skills to make meaningful progress in today’s job market.

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240 residents of Northern Ontario will begin training this year in Dryden, Ontario for jobs in the forest sector.

With $3.6 million support from the Northern Training Partnership Fund, the Two Feathers Forest Products project will support Northern Ontario employers in the forestry sector with a trained labour force to meet workplace needs.

The project will provide both apprenticeship training and on-the-job technical training to prepare participants for jobs with Two Feathers Forest Products, or in the forestry sector as Process Operators.

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Leafsnap is a revolutionary new electronic field guide for identifying trees.

Unlike any other tree identification app, Leafsnap requires you to use your iPhone or iPad to take a photo of a leaf of the tree you wish you identify. The app then uses visual recognition software to help identify the tree species.

To take a photo of a leaf for identification, you have to place the leaf on a white surface. When you take a photo of the leaf and upload it, you are also sharing that photo, and the geographic coordinates of the leaf’s location, with the app developers. Scientists will use this information to “map and monitor the ebb and flow of flora nationwide”.

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Fifteen high school students from southern Ontario high schools will be joining northwestern Ontario high school students for a three day course in forest conservation in Dryden from May 31 – June 2, 2011.

Dryden High School has the longest running conservation course in Canada. Started in 1957, the outdoor course introduces students to forest management and conservation. The course is presented by partners from academia, industry, non-profit organizations and government. Conservation Course is an opportunity for students to learn about forestry in northern Ontario, through a 3-day camp experience. Students have the chance to see forest management on Ontario crown land and meet those employed in the forestry and natural resources fields.

While attending the Conservation Course, students will be given video cameras to document their experiences. The students will form their own opinions about forest management activities in our province based on what they see. The students will use video to tell other youth about forest management and lead them through an interactive classroom activity that will help teach the decision making process involved in managing forests. The lesson plan will be released to teachers across Ontario during National Forest Week, September 18-24, 2011.

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The Faculty of Forestry at the University of Toronto has a bleak future due to low enrollment.

The University of Toronto had the first forestry faculty in Canada, and the second in North America when it began in 1907. Over the years, the faculty has awarded over 2,000 Bachelor of Science in Forestry (BScF), 420 Master of Science in Forestry (MScF), 170 Master of Forestry Conservation (MFC), and 130 PhD degrees in Forestry.

In 1996, the faculty cancelled its undergraduate program and continued with its graduate programs. Currently, the faculty has a dozen faculty members and teaches less than 80 graduate students.

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The Munsee Delaware Nation is pleased to announce a major step forward in its bid to establish an accredited First Nations Forestry Training Program after receiving start-up funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation‘s (OTF) Future Fund. The First Nation community southwest of London, Ontario will receive a four-year, $531,000 grant from OTF to help cover the costs of developing and delivering the forestry program.

The Future Fund supports projects that create significant and sustainable change by using distinct and innovative approaches. In Munsee Delaware, this grant will help create sustainable jobs.

“This funding is going to help us give our young people the foothold they need to take advantage of today’s emerging green economy,” said Munsee Delaware Chief, Patrick Waddilove. “Without OTF, we could not have raised the kind of seed capital needed to get this project off the ground,” he added.

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Alberta’s forest industry has launched WorkWild, the most comprehensive forestry career awareness program in Canada. Developed by the Alberta Forest Products Association and industry partners, the program targets youth in Alberta’s forest-based communities.

The innovative program is designed to present a modern image of forestry and the diverse range of careers it offers. It includes the WorkWild Ambassador Team – a team of industry employees who visit community events, high schools and career fairs to share information about the industry. The team is supported by a website, WorkWild.ca. It features information about jobs, career opportunities, education, training providers and available financial support including a listing of scholarships valued at more than $180,000.

“With WorkWild, we’re investing in the future and preparing for an economic turnaround by attracting young people to the industry,” said Alberta Forest Product Association President and CEO Brady Whittaker. “We want Alberta youth to understand that they can build a rewarding career in forestry, continue to enjoy the lifestyle offered in their communities and work in an industry that is compatible with their values.”

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The City of Port Alberni, British Columbia, already owns the land of its new community forest. But that isn’t stopping it from purchasing $125,000 worth of shares in the community forest.

The income from the shares will assist the community forest with developing stewardship plan development.

The city could loan the money to the community forest, but the loan would require months of red tape and provincial bureaucracy that would delay the progress of the project.

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