Alberta's forests are a renewable public resource, managed according to Alberta's Forests Act. In NAIT's Forest Technology diploma program, students will learn how to manage forests responsibly and sustainably on behalf of the residents of Alberta through a variety of field activities, class lectures and data analysis. For those who have a passion for the environment, enjoy being outdoors, have a strong work ethic, are in good physical fitness and comfortable working with computers, Forest Technology could be an excellent fit!

This is a 2-year diploma program delivered over 4 semesters. Fall semesters that begin in August run 17 weeks while Winter semesters beginning in January run 15 weeks.

Field training

The first 5 weeks of Year 1 are spent at NAIT’s Kidney Lake camp, located about 50 km northwest of Whitecourt, AB. During camp, plenty of time will be spent in the field developing foundational skills in wildfire suppression, plant identification, forest ecology, and forest measurements.

The Kidney Lake camp has a number of modest cabins and permanent structures in which students will sleep, eat and attend classes. Students will also have time to develop strong relationships with the people they will be working with during the program and throughout their career.

Year 2 field training primarily occurs in the Cache-Percotte forest, located adjacent to Hinton, AB. Here students will continue their hands-on learning and further develop career focused skills essential to becoming a successful forest professional.

Field labs will emphasize real world activities associated with reforestation, operational planning, sustainable harvesting, and reclamation using the latest technology. Other field labs in and around Edmonton are conducted throughout the two years of the program.