The Forest Technology program at UMFK is a conservation-oriented program that focuses on the wise use of forests as a renewable resource. As the only forest technology program in Maine and one of only two in New England with Recognition from the Society of American Foresters, students are ensured of receiving the best education in this exciting career field. Forestry students at UMFK ' benefit from a field oriented, hands-on experience, small class size, and quality interaction with faculty, all characteristics rarely found at larger schools.

The program consists of 75 credit hours of course work over five semesters. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an Associates of Science degree in forest technology. Why five semesters instead of the usual four semesters to complete an Associate degree? Forestry is a very intensive subject area that requires a high amount of content to be covered. The extra semester enables us to cover all subject areas in greater depth than we would otherwise. It also eliminates the need to have a prolonged summer camp so that students can work and gain valuable experience in forestry. The good news is that students wishing to go on for a Bachelors degree upon completion of the forestry degree can do so in just three additional semesters in many cases depending upon the degree. Thus students can obtain an Associates degree and a bachelor’s degree in four years if they choose.

UMFK is ideally located on the edge of the expansive working forest of Northern Maine and western New Brunswick. Our location provides an ideal location in which to study forestry. More than half of class time is spent in a laboratory setting or in the surrounding forests developing practical forestry skills. Students have access to private woodlots close to campus for use as an outdoor classroom. We are equipped with some of the latest in technology in forestry including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Facilities include a dedicated forestry classroom, GIS laboratory, and access to over 2000 acres of forestland locally. In addition, the Elmer H. Violette Wilderness Camp, located approximately two hours from campus near the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in the heart of the North Maine Woods, provides an ideal setting to further students' knowledge of forestry.

Our forest technology graduates have many opportunities. The program prepares students for careers as forest technicians with land management companies, consulting foresters, and the state and federal governments. Many of our graduates also find employment as forest rangers with the state of Maine. Options also exist to pursue a bachelor's degree. Many of our students have continued on at UMFK to receive four-year degrees in such fields as environmental studies, Rural Public Safety Administration, and Business Management. For those graduates who desire to continue on for a bachelor's degree in forestry, UMFK has formal transfer agreements that insure easy transfer of course credits to four-year forestry institutions in the U.S. and Canada. As mentioned previously, these degrees can be completed in just three additional semesters in most instances.