Each year, the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) presents silver rings to post-secondary forestry students as a way of welcoming them into the profession.
The ring is regarded as a ‘national bond’ among forestry graduates. About 500 were handed out this spring although an industry report says it masks a looming shortage in trained professionals.
The forestry industry is not only faced with an economic crisis but a future workforce shortage of trained foresters and technicians as well.
The wave of mill closures and massive job cuts across Northern Ontario’s and Canada’s forestry sector hasn’t helped attract young people to take up forestry studies as a promising and stable career choice.
And that’s been reflected in the decline of students entering professional forestry studies.
Lakehead University’s four-year professional foresters program is averaging about 20 graduates annually, roughly half of what the Thunder Bay campus can accommodate.
And Dr. Reino Pulkki, dean of the faculty of forestry, doesn’t anticipate that figures increasing anytime soon. “I don’t see it going down, but I don’t see it mushrooming either.”
A white paper published in the CIF’s The Forestry Chronicle, entitled ‘A Call to Action for Canada’s Future Forestry Professionals/Technical Workforce’ spells out the need for a unified, coordinated recruitment effort. The report says the steady decline in the forestry schools since the 1990’s, combined with an aging technical workforce, has the potential for “irreparable loss to national capacity to meet the needs of the industry.”
Although there are no numbers for Ontario, the B.C. Ministry of Forests predicts having to replace 80 per cent of their technical workforce in 10 years. The Alberta Forest Products Association reports the average age of forest practitioners in that province is 48.
Pulkki says with the exception of more sophisticated forestry-oriented countries like Germany, Finland and Sweden, forestry schools in South Africa, Australia and the U.S. are all experiencing student shortfalls.
Forestry’s sometimes-dubious reputation as a consumptive industry works against itself in attracting students. And there are misconceptions in the general public and the media about what the industry is about and what a registered professional forester does.
“They think it’s the chainsaw...but that’s far from what foresters do today,” says Pulkki. He and other post-secondary academic and industry types are pulling together as part of a national effort with the Canadian Institute of Forestry to promote forestry jobs are wide-ranging, well-paying and high-tech jobs.
Last year, Lakehead did its part by producing a promotional video with industry and government support, and distributed 5,000 copies, with another 6,000 on order.
“We’ve put huge resources into recruitment,” says Pulkki, who plans to be at agriculture fairs in southern Ontario in September on a student recruiting drive.
The main message of industry is that forestry careers are about stewardship, not anti-environmentalism and environmentally conscious young people can help shape national forestry policy.
“It’s really dealing with the main issues of land management. If you really want to influence how forests and land are managed in the future, this is really the degree to take.”
Pulkki says there needs to be a recruiting emphasis on the environmental science aspects of emerging green energy and value-added opportunities in biofuels, non-timber forest products as well as the recreational aspects in silviculture, wildlife management and conservation.
Part of Lakehead’s sales pitch is that it’s a science-based practical degree that widens the field of career options.
“It’s a much more portable degree that can be used in all kinds of fields.”
Armed with federal government statistics on starting salaries, Pulkki says the average income for forestry degree holders was 20 per cent higher than all other comparable university grads.
Colin Kirkwood, Sault College’s dean of technology and natural resources, agrees the industry and colleges need to do a better job of promoting the environmentally responsible and high tech side of forestry to change public perception.
The Sault Ste. Marie-based college has forged links with the city’s two major government forestry research labs in sharing equipment, field camps and placing their forestry students on co-op placements.
Applications in their two-year forestry technician program have been in decay since 1990. “Next year is the smallest class we’ve seen with maybe 10 or 11, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” says Kirkwood.
Their overall natural resources program in forestry, fish and wildlife, and parks and recreation can accommodate more than 200 students. “We’re not coming anywhere near that this year,” says Kirkwood, estimating the final tally will be in the 100 to 120 mark.
“There’s a fear of getting into an industry that doesn’t have a great reputation,” says Kirkwood. “There’s plenty of talented individuals who could have a positive impact on our society that are shying away from getting into this field.”
