Undergraduate Programs - Forest Operations Science
What is Forest Operations Science?
The efficient and environmentally acceptable management, extraction, and transportation of timber for the manufacture of paper, wood composite, and solid wood products are major challenges to one of the region’s most important industries. The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Forest Operations Science at the University of Maine has been designed to address this challenge by combining coursework and faculty expertise in forest ecology and management, wood science, forest engineering, and introductory business administration.
The program aims to develop individuals (a) with the knowledge and abilities to better manage forest resources and forest operations in an environment of increasing public scrutiny and environmental concern; (b) with an understanding of the processes and challenges related to the efficient and environmentally acceptable growth management, harvest and primary processing of timber resources; and (c) with an appreciation for the local, regional, and global competition for forest product raw materials and markets. Graduates of the program will develop critical and analytical knowlege and skills related to the efficient, safe, and environmentally compatible conduct and management of forest operations, as well as a thorough understanding of the timber production cycle from the forest through the mill.
Program content
Recognizing the significance of the forest products industry to society, as well as the opportunities for professional employment of highly trained and broadly educated college graduates, the B.S. in Forest Operations Science is designed to provide students with relevant and marketable knowledge and proficiencies in subject areas essential to the conduct of forestry operations from the forest to the woodyard, including: forest growth and management, timber harvest planning and administration; forest road planning and construction; timber appraisal and acquisition; and primary wood conversion and marketing. In so doing, it blends coursework from the areas of forest science, wood science, forest engineering, and introductory business administration in the overall context of a broad education in the liberal arts.
The Forest Operations Science program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters and by the Society for Wood Science and Technology.
Curriculum for the B.S. in Forest Operations Science at the University of Maine
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Forest Operations Science program will be prepared for careers in forest land management, industrial and consulting forestry, and the administration and supervision of wood processing facilities. Specific career areas include: forest operations forester, wood appraisal and procurement, forest road planning and design, harvest planning and administration, and mill supervision and wood products marketing. Opportunities also exist for graduate education at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels in the areas of forest operations, wood science, and forest management.
The Forest Operations Science Minor in Surveying
Because students in Forest Operations Science take courses in Surveying (FTY 208), Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (FTY 206), GIS (FTY 480), and Forest Roads (FSC 403), they can receive a minor in Surveying by completing just two additional courses offered in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology. A Surveying minor together with the FSC BS provides an additional and very marketable set of skills to the student’s forest operations background. Consulting foresters, for example, often develop their businesses around a combination of forest management, forest operations, and surveying. A strong background in surveying would also be beneficial to those students pursuing careers in forest road planning and design on large public and industrial forestlands.
For information please contact:
Dr. Robert Rice, Program Leader
119 Nutting Hall Orono, ME 04469-5755
Phone: (207) 581-2883
Email: robert_rice@umit.maine.edu
