Why Study Forestry at Reedley College

Forestry offers students a unique opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills to become an entry level  Forestry Technician. The Forestry and Natural Resources Program leading to an Associate of Science in Forestry degree has been accredited by the Society of American Foresters since 2009. Graduates are typically recruited as utility foresters and timber management technicians for federal, state and private natural resources companies and agencies.

Classes include academic and extensive hands-on training within a 700-acre RC forest and a 1.5-mile riparian zone on campus along the Kings River.

We offer you a unique opportunity for career preparation. You can earn an Associate of Science degree while receiving certifications to qualify for many natural resources jobs. Areas of emphasis include; forest recreation, wildland fire management, wildlife management, and timber management.

Our five month summer work experience is the key to success. Upon graduation you may choose to work for public or private employers which include the US Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Army Corp of Engineers, CA Department of Parks, and the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife.

We teach skills that will lead you to a job.

Work Experience

We have strong ties to industry employers, and they continue to hire our students.

In the Reedley College Forestry and Natural Resources department, we believe that hands-on work experience is essential to your development into a capable, proficient resource manager. Our students are employed through internships that are required prior to earning degrees or certificates, but internships are also paid employment. Students have held positions as:

• Natural Resources Interpreter
• Hot Shot crew member
• Student Park Ranger
• Cave Naturalist
• Forestry Technician
• Recreation Technician
• Timber Marker

Internships are such a vital aspect of the program that we plan classes around them. Our program is structured around the natural resources work season, which lasts from mid-May through mid-October. Several of our Fall classes are shortened to nine weeks so students, returning from their internships, can still get in a full semester.

Joshua Soderlund
joshua.soderlund@reedleycollege.edu

Louie Long
louie.long@reedleycollege.edu

Kayla Rodriguez
kayla.rodriguez@reedleycollege.edu

Reedley College Forestry and Natural Resources Program Student Achievement Data

Society of American Foresters

Preamble

Service to society is the cornerstone of any profession. The profession of forestry serves society by fostering stewardship of the world's forests. Because forests provide valuable resources and perform critical ecological functions, they are vital to the wellbeing of both society and the biosphere.

Members of SAF have a deep and enduring love for the land, and are inspired by the profession's historic traditions, such as Gifford Pinchot's utilitarianism and Aldo Leopold's ecological conscience. In their various roles as practitioners, teachers, researchers, advisers, and administrators, foresters seek to sustain and protect a variety of forest uses and attributes, such as aesthetic values, air and water quality, biodiversity, recreation, timber production, and wildlife habitat.

The purpose of this Code of Ethics is to protect and serve society by inspiring, guiding, and governing members in the conduct of their professional lives. Compliance with the code demonstrates members' respect for the land and their commitment to the long-term management of ecosystems, and ensures just and honorable professional and human relationships, mutual confidence and respect, and competent service to society.

On joining the SAF, members assume a special responsibility to the profession and to society by promising to uphold and abide by the following:

Principles and Pledges

1. Foresters have a responsibility to manage land for both current and future generations. We pledge to practice and advocate management that will maintain the long-term capacity of the land to provide the variety of materials, uses, and values desired by landowners and society.
2. Society must respect forest landowners' rights and correspondingly, landowners have a land stewardship responsibility to society. We pledge to practice and advocate forest management in accordance with landowner objectives and professional standards, and to advise landowners of the consequences of deviating from such standards.
3. Sound science is the foundation of the forestry profession. We pledge to strive for continuous improvement of our methods and our personal knowledge and skills; to perform only those services for which we are qualified; and in the biological, physical, and social sciences to use the most appropriate data, methods, and technology.
4. Public policy related to forests must be based on both scientific principles and societal values. We pledge to use our knowledge and skills to help formulate sound forest policies and laws; to challenge and correct untrue statements about forestry; and to foster dialogue among foresters, other professionals, landowners, and the public regarding forest policies.
5. Honest and open communication, coupled with respect for information given in confidence, is essential to good service. We pledge to always present, to the best of our ability, accurate and complete information; to indicate on whose behalf any public statements are made; to fully disclose and resolve any existing or potential conflicts of interest; and to keep proprietary information confidential unless the appropriate person authorizes its disclosure.
6. Professional and civic behavior must be based on honesty, fairness, good will, and respect for the law. We pledge to conduct ourselves in a civil and dignified manner; to respect the needs, contributions, and viewpoints of others; and to give due credit to others for their methods, ideas, or assistance.

SAF Code of Ethics Web Page