Continuing Forestry Education Program

Program Objectives

  • Maintain, advance, and broaden the knowledge and skills of all forestry professionals and practitioners.
  • Speed the transfer of new technology and concepts.
  • Recognize those forestry professionals who are successful in CFE and professional development.

Procedures For Certification

To obtain a CFE Certificate, applicants must complete 150 hours of approved activities within a three-year period. The three-year period for completion of the requirements can begin and end at any time, and participants may complete the program in less time.

Approved activities are described in three broad categories. Credit weight varies with the type of activity, the standard being the contact hour which is based on one hour of instruction or equivalent. Although many different activities are acceptable, the system requires some focus on Structured Learning by stipulating a minimum of 60 hours in the three years for that category, and by setting maximum hours for the other categories. All 150 hours may be obtained in Category 1, but participants are encouraged to participate in other activities.

Credit may be claimed for course work taken as part of a degree or diploma program as long as the credits are obtained following full-time professional employment and are not required for membership in the member organizations.

Individuals are required to keep their own records with the Personal Activity Record. Applications must be accompanied by a Personal Activity Form and related supporting documents for all activities claimed. Since applications are not returned, participants should make copies for their personal records. In the process of reviewing applications and evaluating Contact hours, the CFE Committee recognizes the professional integrity of individual members and their Code of Ethics.

Category Descriptions And Evaluations

Category 1: Structured Learning (60 contact hours minimum)

Typically university or technical school courses, but also including study by correspondence, seminars, short courses, and workshops that meet five criteria: organized program of learning, primarily related to the career and practice of forestry, conducted by forestry experts, suitable education setting, and applicable to forestry practitioners in general. Other activities not specifically related to forestry can be included, such as computer science, personnel management, public speaking, and others which benefit an individual in their profession or position. Formal instruction would be credited as three contact hour per hour of instruction and field trips would be 3 contact hours for each exact hour of field instruction. Contact hours do not include lunch breaks. The CFE application must be accompanied by course outlines or program agendas.

Category 2: Self-Improvement: (90 contact hours maximum)

In two areas:

  1. one contact hour per hour attendance at business meetings of the NSFTA, CIF-NS, RPFANS, or other forestry related organization (technical sessions of these organizations would qualify in Category 1); and
  2. one contact hour per hour of reading, viewing, or listening to related technical forestry material. Most members are familiar with The Forestry Chronicle and the Canadian Journal of Forest Research and their American counterparts, the Journal of Forestry and Forest Science. Many sources of technical and scientific articles pertaining to the practice of forestry can be included such as publications from the CPPA, FERIC, and government agencies such as CFS.

Category 3: Professional Contributions: (60 contact hour maximum)

In three major activities:

  1. the development, preparation, and presentation of course work in an instructional capacity under Category 1 activities, but only for work beyond normal duties or job description; 3 contact hours per hour of presentation in courses [but only 2:1 given for material which the instructor gives without updating or original preparation];
  2. the preparation, writing, and publication of forestry or related subject matter, but only for work beyond normal duties or job description; 15 contact hours for each publication requiring technical review and 5 contact hours for a substantial article appearing in a magazine, journal, or newspaper; and
  3. holding an elected or appointed office or active committee assignment in the NSFTA, CIF-NS, RPFANS, or other allied professional organization; 10 contact hours per year for holding office or 5 for chairing an committee, and 2 contact hours per year for active committee membership.

CFE forms are available through the links below for keeping track of your hours and for documenting activities which do not otherwise have supporting documents. The CFE Application file also has information on how to correctly calculate hours and fill out the form. Your representatives on the CFE Committee can be contacted through NSFTA email.

For Continuing Forestry Education documents, email nsfta@nsfta.ca

Inquiry about the Continuing Education Program