The efficient and environmentally acceptable growth, management, extraction, and
transportation of timber for the manufacture of paper, wood composites, and
solid wood products is a major challenge to one of the region’s most important
industries. The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Forest Operations
Science (FSC) at the University of Maine has been designed to address this
challenge by combining course work and faculty expertise in forest ecology, forest management,
wood science, forest engineering, and introductory business administration.
The program aims to develop individuals (a) with the knowledge and abilities
to better manage timber resources and forest operations in an environment of
increasing public scrutiny and environmental concern; (b) with an understanding
of the processes and challenges related to the efficient and environmentally
acceptable harvest and primary processing of timber resources; and (c) with an
appreciation for the local, regional, and global competition for forest product
raw materials and markets. Graduates of the program will develop critical and
analytical knowledge and skills related to the efficient, safe, and
environmentally compatible conduct and management of forest operations, as well
as a thorough understanding of the timber growth and production cycle from the forest to
the mill.
Recognizing the significance of the forest products industries to society, as
well as the opportunities for professional employment of highly trained and
broadly educated college graduates, the FSC program is designed to provide
students with relevant and marketable knowledge and proficiencies in subject
areas essential to the conduct of forest operations from the forest to the wood
yard. These include forest ecology and silviculture, timber harvest planning and administration; forest road planning
and construction; timber appraisal and acquisition; and forest management, wood
science, forest engineering, and introductory business administration in the
overall context of a broad education in the liberal arts. The result is a
program addressing the science, management, business, and processing of timber
resources.
Graduates of the FSC program will be prepared for careers in industrial and
consulting forestry, as well as in the administration and supervision of wood
processing facilities. Specific career areas include: forest land management; wood appraisal and
procurement; forest road planning and design; harvest planning and
administration; and mill supervision and wood products marketing. Opportunities
also exist for graduate education at both the M.S. and Ph.D. levels in the areas
of forest operations, wood science, and forest management.
The B.S. in Forest Operations Science program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. The Society is recognized by the Commission of Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation as the specialized accrediting body for forestry in the United States. Accreditation by the Society of Wood Science and Technology is pending.