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NATIONAL ABORIGINAL FORESTRY ASSOCIATION |
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| Contents | Introduction | University | College | Continuing Education | Forest Worker Training |
Sub-contents: About the Catalogue | Aboriginal Participation in Forestry Education and Training | Conclusion | Further Reading and Resources
If your institution, company or organization wishes to add your courses or programs to future updated catalogues or revise existing information, please contact us:
National Aboriginal Forestry Association
875 Bank Street
Ottawa, Canada K1S 3W4
Phone: (613) 233-5563
Fax: (613) 233-4329
E-mail: nafa@web.ca
NAFA hopes this catalogue will be used:
We hope that Aboriginal students will use the catalogue to get an idea about what is available in natural resource management and to think about their responsibility and opportunities in natural resource management.
The programs covered in this catalogue are not necessarily geared to Aboriginal people alone. The services for Aboriginal people provided by these institutions varies widely, from institutions controlled by Aboriginal people to programs with a strong Aboriginal component to strong Aboriginal support services to institutions which make no special provisions for Aboriginal peoples. Readers of this catalogue are advised to check programs carefully to ensure that your needs are met by the institution, to call institutions directly for the most current information or to check out the institution's web site, if they have one.
Please note that compilation of this catalogue began in 1995 and that some programs have undergone changes since then, another reason to contact institutions directly.
The catalogue is divided into four sections. All programs are organized alphabetically by province and within each province alphabetically by program. Section I contains university degree and university transfer programs. Section II contains college technical diploma programs. Section III contains continuing education programs for graduates of colleges and university forestry programs. Section IV contains forest worker training programs. Program descriptions include e- mail or home page addresses, where available.
Post-secondary programs are delivered at the university and college levels. Post-secondary programs cover natural resource management which cover a wide variety of subjects including forest management, parks & wilderness management, forest conservation, wood sciences, forest biology, geographic information systems, watershed ecosystems, forest operations, forest engineering, renewable resource management, ecotourism, integrated resource management, wildlife conservation and a limited number of environmental studies programs.
Professional level forest land managers are university trained, but local experience and knowledge are essential for a forester manager to be successful. A professional forestry degree takes four to five years at a university. The federal government and most provincial governments require that forest land management plans be certified by a Registered Professional Forester (R.P.F.). Foresters who want to work in the field of research or teach at a post-secondary institution will most likely require post-graduate studies at the Masters and Ph.D. level.
Forest technicians are trained at community colleges or universities which offer diploma programs. These technical diploma programs usually take two to three years. Technicians generally work under the supervision of professional foresters, collecting data and monitoring forest operations. Graduates of forestry diploma programs usually receive some credit for the courses they have taken if they decide to enrol in a forestry degree program.
Several institutions now offer Continuing Studies programs for graduates of technical and degree forestry programs. Because of rapid changes in knowledge and technology in the forestry field, practitioners are encouraged to upgrade their skills periodically through such Continuing Studies programs.
The forest worker training programs are those usually delivered on an ad hoc and as needed basis. Delivery of these programs varies with instruction provided by private consultants, private firms specializing in training, provincial government extension programs and college programs. It is difficult to track the success and delivery of such programs because of their often limited duration. Some of these programs may be certified through provincial departments of skills and labour, but many do not have any official recognition.
The forest worker training programs include forestry crew person, vocational forestry, introductory courses in lands management, renewable resource courses, forest practices code awareness, coastal fisheries & forestry guidelines, soil conservation, forest road de-activation, wildlife/danger tree assessment, safety in the woods, basic silviculture, spacing, pruning, forest inventory, measurements and mapping, treeplanting, weed control, fire/slash burning, forestry supervisor, business development, fire prevention and firefighting, ecoforestry, scaling, regeneration surveying, chainsaw maintenance, repair and safety, forest disease and insect control, agroforestry, geographic information systems, logging, sawmill technology, wildlife conservation, surveying and line cutting.
Most forest worker training courses require Grade 10 education, a good working knowledge of English and some working ability in Math. Some courses have age requirements only, i.e.18 and over, and other courses include an academic upgrading component for students who do not have high school qualification. Some courses are designed specifically for on-the-job training in a particular industry. Good physical condition is another common requirement. Several of the courses are introductory courses to natural resource management designed to raise awareness; these courses have no pre-requisites and usually target community members and staff, others are designed for community leaders. As well, there are some courses which require completion of basic training within the same institute; this concept is often termed "laddering" and means that students can continually upgrade their skills based on past courses.
College level programs are 2-3 years and entrance requirements usually include completion of high school with a grade average of at least 60% and credits in senior English, Math and Science, either Biology, Chemistry or Physics. If students do not have these qualifications, they may be required to do academic upgrading or testing before applying. Some college programs have a system of credits for work or life experience which allow mature students without full high school qualifications to apply. Other colleges have minimum age requirements. Some colleges have entrance tests in Math and English. With courses offered at the French colleges, a French language proficiency test may be required. Some college programs are specialized and require completion of a general college program in natural resource management. A student may complete a two-year natural resource management program and then take a one-year specialized course in, for example, ecotourism, wildlife management, parks and recreation.
University level programs leading to an undergraduate degree in forestry or natural resource management are 4-5 years and entrance requirements usually include high school graduation with an average grade of at least 65% and credits in English, Math, Chemistry and sometimes Physics. Ontario students must have their Ontario Academic Credits (OACs) in English, Calculus, Chemistry, Biology, Algebra, Geometry and Finite Mathematics. Most universities also have special provisions for mature students. University level programs also accept college graduates of forestry programs, granting "transfer credits" for a portion of the program. Co-op programs require summer employment related to studies. Graduate programs and continuing studies usually require completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree in a related program.
It is important to know if the program or course is recognized by independent institutions as meeting basic course content for the skills being sought through education or training. Most university and college programs are accredited by bodies such as the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board, professional foresters associations and associations of scientists and technicians. Some are accredited through U.S. organizations such as the Society of American Foresters or the North American Wildlife Association. Accreditation means that the programs offer a core set of courses and set a minimum standard of achievement. Accreditation also means that skills will be recognized in other jurisdictions than the one in which the educational institution is located. In today's job market, with people moving greater distances for employment and often working in foreign countries, it is important to have transferable and recognized skills.
At the forest worker level, training courses may address an immediate need, but if a worker is to build on skills, it is important to have training courses recognized. Governments are now looking at standardizing training in silvicultural skills (6.5 Committee, 1994), although there as yet no national program.
In 1995 NAFA began a survey of post-secondary education programs in natural resource management to compile a catalogue which would outline how these programs were addressing Aboriginal issues and participation in the forest sector. In the fall of 1995 there were brief discussions about the possibilities of establishing a national Aboriginal forestry training institution. At this point, NAFA, with assistance from the Canadian Forest Service, decided to expand the survey to include forest worker training programs. Our main goal of implementing such a survey was to avoid duplicating or undermining other training initiatives that may be underway. Discussions about a national Aboriginal forestry training institution were short-lived, but this catalogue of both post-secondary and forest worker training programs will provide useful information for Aboriginal communities and promote NAFA's goal of increasing Aboriginal participation in the forest sector.
NAFA's work in education and training has two thrusts. The first is to encourage Aboriginal people to pursue training and education that will give them the skills and knowledge to work in the forest sector. The second is to encourage academic institutions, forest managers and the forest industry to incorporate Aboriginal values and content into their management plans, forestry curricula and forest operations. The result of these two directions will, it is hoped, improve Aboriginal participation in the forest sector and also improve forest management.
Not only is there a great need to have Aboriginal people enter into forest land management as professionals, but it is equally critical that all forest land management students learn more about Aboriginal perspectives on rights, title, culture and land ethics. Many forest industry companies and government agencies responsible for forest land management now recognize that it is good business to develop co-operative working relationships with Aboriginal communities through joint ventures and Aboriginal involvement in forest land management planning.
In 1992, under the auspices of the Industrial Adjustment Services of Human Resources Development Canada, NAFA established a national committee with representatives from the Aboriginal community, forest industry, academia and government to examine how to increase Aboriginal participation in forestry. In 1993 the Aboriginal Forestry Training & Employment Review (AFTER) Committee published a report which outlined the barriers and opportunities in the training, education and employment areas. Since the publication of that report, the AFTER Committee and NAFA has worked to address these issues.
The AFTER Report found that less than 1% of Aboriginal students enrolled in post-secondary programs, were enrolled in natural resource management and, as a result, there were very few Aboriginal forest technicians and especially few Aboriginal Registered Professional Foresters. This also means that education and training programs are lacking Aboriginal participation and involvement at the stages of curriculum development and integration of Aboriginal values within these institutions.
The report also found that Aboriginal people were underemployed in the forest sector. These conclusions pointed to the need to address barriers to Aboriginal enrollment in post-secondary institutions and to Aboriginal employment in the forest sector.
In 1992 the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, the federal government, non-governmental organizations, the forest industry, communities and concerned individuals finalized Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment, a strategy to guide the policies and actions of Canada's forest community. Strategic Direction Seven described the unique contribution of Aboriginal peoples in Canada to forest management and made a commitment to increase Aboriginal participation in forestry, and to recognize and provide for Aboriginal and treaty rights in forest land management. As part of the commitment to increase forest-based economic opportunities for Aboriginal peoples, the strategy stated that "a strategy to address the training and employment needs of Aboriginal people, in accordance with their forest values" would be developed. As well, post- secondary and professional forestry institutions made a commitment to "broaden their programs to reflect the Aboriginal land ethic." The National Forest Strategy is currently being evaluated to see whether objectives have been met and a new strategy will be developed by October 1997.
Following the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development held in Rio de Janiero in 1992, countries agreed to focus their efforts on defining sustainable forest management and setting international standards, criteria and indicators for achieving sustainable forest management. This work was co-ordinated by the ad hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) under the Commission on Sustainable Development. One of the issues addressed by the IPF was traditional forest-related knowledge (TFRK). In the Report of the Secretary-General on traditional forest-related knowledge (E/CN.17/IPF/, several proposals for action were made about promoting traditional forest-related knowledge in an institutional framework:
There have been several developments in training and education over the past few years affecting Aboriginal participation in the forest sector, some improving Aboriginal participation and some hindering it.
In 1992 Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) targeted approximately $200 million a year to Aboriginal training through the Pathways to Success Strategy. Under Pathways HRDC administered training dollars through a national, regional and area management boards. In 1996, as part of what the federal government described as its policy of promoting Aboriginal self- government, but also consistent with the federal government's move to decentralize social services, HRDC decided to channel these training dollars directly to Aboriginal organizations. Three-year National Framework Agreements were signed with the Assembly of First Nations, the Metis National Council and the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada. The national agreements set guidelines for the development of regional bilateral agreements through which HRDC funds would flow to Aboriginal communities. A number of these regional agreements are now in place and several more are under negotiation. NAFA expressed concern when the new program was announced about the lack of national direction in such agreements and stated in a letter to the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Secretary of State for Training and Youth, that: "While we appreciate the need for regional and Aboriginal control of Pathways, we think it vital for Aboriginal interests in Canada that the program maintain some national perspective and programming." It remains to be seen how effectively these agreements will be in strategically targeting training dollars.
More and more institutions are incorporating Aboriginal perspectives in their forestry curricula. A number of colleges have targeted and begun to tailor their forest land management programs for Aboriginal students, including the College of New Caledonia, Malaspina College, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Northwest Community College, Aurora College, Yukon College, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, the National Indian Forestry Institute (now with the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology), the Gabriel Dumont Institute, the Aboriginal Resource Technician Program at Sault College, Baie Comeau College and the Western Regional Community College.
Canadian universities have also been taking steps to improve Aboriginal participation. The University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry now has a First Nations Coordinator and they are developing a First Nations Land Management course. UBC is also holding an international workshop in June 1997 on Indigenous Perspectives in Forestry Education, one of the first of its kind in the world. The University of Northern British Columbia has a significant number of Aboriginal students enrolled in its new Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Lakehead University Faculty of Forestry has developed a paper, Forests, Postsecondary Education, and Aboriginal People: A Framework for Partnership and Action and the University of Toronto Faculty of Forestry has held a series of workshops on Aboriginal issues. The University of Manitoba Natural Resources Institute's programs cover issues such as co- management and traditional ecological knowledge and the Universit‚ Laval Facult‚ de foresterie et de g‚omatique addresses Aboriginal issues in many of its courses.
More and more post-secondary institutions are implementing access or "bridging" programs which allow students without pre-requisites to spend a year upgrading their credits to prepare for entry into a regular program. For example, the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick has an arrangement with the Micmac-Maliseet Institute to allow Aboriginal students to do a bridging year in preparation for admission. This program is available to all potential students regardless of age or academic background. The University of British Columbia has a one-year science access program for Aboriginal students interested in forestry, agriculture or science degree programs.
Another innovative approach to encourage Aboriginal students to enroll in post-secondary programs is distance education. Students stay in their community and study via computer terminals from a central location. For example, Sault College offers an Aboriginal Resource Technician Program via distance education. Some universities, such as Lakehead University, are now offering graduate courses via distance education.
Employment depends on the level of forestry activity within provinces and also on the degree of Aboriginal participation in forest management. Employment opportunities have expanded considerably in the past ten years through the establishment of Aboriginal forest land management regimes, partnerships with industry and Aboriginal forestry enterprises. However, gains made in some regions have been lost with cutbacks in provincial funding and staffing in the natural resource management field. For example, graduates of the Aboriginal Resource Technician Program at Sault College were traditionally hired by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources which helped to establish the program to give their long-term Aboriginal employees qualifications and the chance at something more than seasonal work. With recent budget cutbacks in some provincial ministries responsible for natural resources, and those ministries passing responsibility for forest management to the forest industry, the potential for Aboriginal employment is lessened. It has been predicted that with the changes, the forest industry will now be offering new employment, but industry has also gone through downsizing over the same period.
On the good news side, the British Columbia Ministry of Forests has established Aboriginal Forestry Advisor positions within their district offices and have also provided funds to Aboriginal communities to hire their own forestry advisors. As well, many forest companies have established Aboriginal community liaison positions in an effort to address land use conflicts and the incorporation of Aboriginal values in forest land management. Price Waterhouse, in a report prepared on human resource development in the Canadian pulp and paper industry, pointed to the low rate of Aboriginal employment within pulp and paper mills and to future trends:
Several Canadian pulp and paper mills are located in communities with aboriginal populations. In the mail survey, only one newsprint mill and one market pulp mill report aboriginal employment levels greater than 5%, and these workers were concentrated in lesser skilled jobs. Settlement of land claims will mean that many companies will likely need to improve cooperation and establish partnerships with aboriginal peoples. One means of doing this is to ensure that where aboriginal people make up a significant proportion of the local community, they also comprise a related proportion of the mill workforce.
Participation by Aboriginal people in the forest sector is slowly improving, but many barriers still need to be addressed. The trend toward decentralizing powers from the federal government to the provinces often means the development of " have" and "have not" provinces. When cuts in transfer payments affect programming at the provincial level, it is most often Aboriginal communities who will feel the affects first and most acutely. There is still a tremendous need to co-ordinate efforts nationally to improve Aboriginal participation in the forest sector and to share information which will inspire changes.
There is a need for support and resources for Aboriginal students in the form of scholarships, bursaries and support services. The growth of Aboriginal student societies, counselling services and support services at educational institutions has been a positive step toward providing some cultural support to Aboriginal students who in the past have avoided institutions who ignored their values.
Although there has been a significant increase in the number of Aboriginal students graduating with forestry technical diplomas, there are still very few Aboriginal professional foresters. The need for graduates from forestry degree programs is still great. It is the professionals who often have most to say about forest land management and it is therefore crucial to have more Aboriginal foresters if Aboriginal values are to be taken seriously in forest management.
Careers in Forestry. Canadian Institute of Forestry, Suite 1005, Slater St., Ottawa, On K1P 5H3.
6.5 Committee National Forest Strategy. 1994. Compendium of Existing Training and Certification Programs for Silviculture and Forest Workers in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.
6.5 Committee National Forest Strategy. 1994. The Green Binder: Educational and Training Aids for Silviculture and Forest Workers in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.
6.5 Committee Report to the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers on the Feasibility of a National Certification Program for Silviculture and Forest Workers. 1994. Sustainable forests: a Canadian commitment. National Forest Strategy. Ottawa: Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.
The Directory of Forestry Education and Training Programs in British Columbia. 1995/96. Victoria, B.C.: Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Education, Skills and Training.
Epstein, Ruth. 1995. Post-secondary Education for Indigenous people via Distance Education. Saskatoon: University of Saskatchewan, Extension Division.
Forest Careers. 1992. Vancouver, B.C.: Council of Forest Industries of British Columbia
Forestry Business Resources Directory of available funding, training and business support programs. December 1996. Victoria, B.C.: First Nations Forestry Program, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada.
Gardner, Julia; Abs, Susan and Rankin, Colin. December 1991. Incentives for Lifelong Learning: Continuing Studies and the B.C. Forestry Community. Victoria: B.C. Ministry of Forests, Silviculture Branch.
Hopwood, A.; Mactavish, J.; Moar, A.; Scott, G. and Smith, P. February 1993. Aboriginal Forestry Training and Employment Review (AFTER) Phase I Final Report. Ottawa: National Aboriginal Forestry Assoc.
Implementation of Forest-Related Decisions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at the National and International Levels, Including an Examination of Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral Linkages. Programme element I.3: Traditional forest-related knowledge. Report of the Secretary-General. 13 August 1996. United Nations: Commission on Sustainable Development, Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, E/CN.17/IPF/1996/16.
National Forest Education Resources Catalogue for elementary and secondary school teachers and youth educators. 1st edition. 1995. Ottawa: Canadian Forestry Association.
Price Waterhouse. 1994. The Canadian Pulp and Paper Industry: A Focus on Human Resources. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada.
Smith, Peggy; Merkel, Garry and Scott, Grant. 1995. Aboriginal Forest Land Management Guidelines: A Community Approach. Ottawa: National Aboriginal Forestry Association.
Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment. March 1992. Ottawa: National Forest Strategy, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.
Training in Partnership Program: A needs analysis conducted by Aboriginals for Aboriginals in co-operation with Parks Canada. 1994. Ottawa: Parks Canada.
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