Forestry Field School opens doors — and eyes — for future foresters

Before classes even begin, University of Alberta undergraduate forestry students are already in the field — measuring trees, touring mills, meeting Indigenous knowledge holders and building friendships that will carry them through their degrees. It’s all part of the Introductory Forestry Field School, a week-long program that kicks off their academic and professional journeys.

And this year, for the first time, students didn’t pay a cent beyond tuition.

That’s thanks to a new funding pledge from Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. (Al-Pac). The long-time industry partner had already been providing in-kind support by hosting students for two days at the end of the program. Now, Al-Pac’s commitment ensures that every student can participate, regardless of financial background — removing fees that once posed a barrier.

“It opens doors right away,” says Lilly Snowball, a first-year student who recently transferred into the forestry program. “Alleviating that extra cost has helped reduce my financial stress. If I had to pay extra costs right up front, I don’t think I would be doing this.”

Snowball already had experience with the West Fraser Timber Company and Alberta’s Junior Forest Rangers program. The Al-Pac-funded field school confirmed her direction: a future in silviculture — managing how forests grow back after harvest. She especially appreciated the  Al-Pac-led tour of the company’s pulp mill near Athabasca and Lac La Biche, Alta.

“It was eye-opening how many different careers there are in forestry. It's not just foresters — there are power engineers, electricians and so many other things.”

That kind of career awareness is built into the design of the program, says Brad Pinno, an associate professor and the academic lead. “The way I like to think about it is, it's an introduction to forestry… we’re hitting the highlights of what forestry is,” he says. “Some students get really into reforestation, some are into the operational side, and some are into the social side. And maybe you go through this and realize, ‘This is totally not for me.’ I’d rather students knew that at the beginning than at the end of year three.”

The program also creates early career connections — not just with employers, but with each other.

“Rather than having all this hesitancy on the first day, now we know everybody’s names, and we know so much about each other already,” says Snowball. “We’ve got a group chat, we’re hanging out, and that’s really, really helpful.”

For Remi L’Heureux, a forest resource manager at Al-Pac, that kind of network-building is part of why the company stepped up their support. “You can actually see the aha moment when the light bulb comes on,” he says. “That awareness, that ‘OK, this is what forestry is about.’ It gives them that opportunity to see if this makes sense for them.”

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As the only accredited forestry degree program in the Prairie provinces, the U of A’s goal is to train foresters who will shape the industry across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba — and beyond. “My goal is to see that our graduates dominate in this landscape,” says Nadir Erbilgin, department chair and one of this year’s field school instructors.

He sees Al-Pac’s gift as an investment not just in access, but in excellence. “We’re creating community,” he says. “And now, thanks to Al-Pac, we’re making sure that students feel they are part of the forestry community in Alberta — not just this program.”