Gogebic Community College

Forestry Technology

Student measuring trees
Fisherman

Forestry Technology Program Overview

  • Associate Degree
  • 2 Years
  • Main Campus - Ironwood

Overview

The forestry program at Gogebic Community College prepares individuals to assist foresters in the management and production of forest resources. This program will instruct you on woods and field skills, tree identification, timber measurement, logging and timber harvesting, forest propagation and regeneration, forest firefighting, resource management, equipment operation and maintenance, record-keeping, sales and purchasing operations, and personnel supervision. 

This program prepares the student to be able to join the workforce as forestry technicians or transfer to a university to pursue a four-year degree. 

Unique Features

  • Employable upon completion
  • Transferable

Requirements

  • High school course work should include two years of algebra, and a year each of biology and chemistry. 
  • Math 104 Intermediate Algebra and English 101 English Composition I assessment testing is also required or ACT scores at acceptable levels may be substituted. 
  • Applicants who have not completed the necessary high school or college background should meet with the Department of Forestry Advisor to plan a General Education-Forestry plan to help prepare them for the program 
  • Students in this program wishing to transfer should work with the GCC Transfer Coordinator to determine the proper course schedule to ensure maximum transferability.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will:

  1. Be able to identify herbaceous and woody vegetation and wildlife species by use of taxonomic key and remote sensing techniques. 
  2. Develop an understanding of ecological principles and component processes.              
  3. Demonstrate competence in land navigation and Public Land Survey Systems.             
  4. Demonstrate proficiency in map and photo use and interpretation.                
  5. Develop an understanding of basic silvicultural terms, concepts, and techniques and demonstrate their application toward management goals.       
  6. Understand and demonstrate the use of basic terminology, principles, equipment, and skills required for land, wildlife, and timber measurements.         
  7. Utilize the basic functions of digital tools for data collection, analysis and presentation (GPS/GIS/PowerPoint/Excel/graph functions).       
  8. Demonstrate awareness of historical, political, economic, and social factors in Natural Resource Management. 
  9. Develop an awareness of current issues in Natural Resource Management, with a focus on the issues and roles played by agencies, landowners and other stakeholders. 
  10. Demonstrate safe and efficient use of hand tools.                
  11. Develop the quantitative mathematical skills necessary to measure, monitor, analyze and manage all aspects of natural resources. 
  12. Develop an understanding of human behavior as it relates to group dynamics, individual motivations, leadership, teambuilding and the influence on planning and decision making.
  13. Demonstrate an ability to communicate through both written and verbal formats.

 

Learn What GCC Students Say About This Program:

Kayaker

Courses at Gogebic

Prefix Title Credits
COL 102 College and Career Success 1
ENG 101 English Composition I 3
ENG 102 English Composition II 3
BIO 122 Botany 4
MTH 108 OR MTH 110 Practical Math OR College Algebra 4
MTH 211 Introduction to Statistics 3
FOR 105 Natural Resources Seminar 1
FOR 107 Field Technique 1
FOR 112 Vegetation of North America 4
FOR 113 Forestry Ecology 3
FOR 226 Wildlife Habitat 3
Humanities OR Social Science Elective Humanities OR Social Science Elective 3-4
Prefix Title Credits
FOR 200 Intern Experience 2
FOR 203 Soil Science 4
FOR 204 Intro to GIS 4
FOR 207 Timber Harvesting 2
FOR 209 Multi-Resource Assessment 3
CSC 101 Computer Science 4
FOR 221 Practices of Silviculture 4
FOR 228 Forest Health 3
FOR 227 Land Measurements/GPS 1
FOR 243 Wildland Fire 3
Humanities OR Social Science Elective Humanities OR Social Science Elective 3-4
Total Credits: 66-68

Additional Information

Must take one Humanities and one Social Science for the degree.

Scenic Background