The Certification of Forest Practitioners
| {Forest Management involves several groups of qualified professionals.} |
In 1991, the Connecticut General Assembly passed the Forest Practices Act. Through this legislation, it was made a matter of law that "no person shall advertise, solicit, contract or engage in commercial forest practices within this state at any time without a certificate" issued by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. (CGS Sec. 23-65h, revised 1998).
The responsibility for issuing forest practitioner certificates, and for managing and enforcing these requirements, has been delegated to the Division of Forestry within DEP. The Division of Forestry conducts the testing required for certification, enforces the certification rules, conducts investigations into possible violations of these rules, and recommends fines and other punishments for violators.
Through the certification process, the Division of Forestry seeks to:
- improve the quality of forestry practiced in Connecticut's woodlands;
- protect private woodland owners from poorly qualified or unscrupulous foresters, loggers or other forest practitioners; and
- provide a means of assessing the types of forest activities occurring within the state.
There are three levels of certification. To learn more about each level of certification, including to see a list of certified individuals, please select one of the following:
Forester Certification
Supervising Forest Products Harvester Certification
Forest Products Harvester Certification
Directory of Certified Forest Practitioners (PDF, 181K)
Please note - only certified foresters who are qualified by further training are eligible to assist to landowners who are in the process of seeking classification of their lands as "forest land" CGS Sec. 12-107d (aka Public Act 490).
Forest Practices Study Guide
List of approved CEU programs currently being offered.
Continuing Education Program for Connecticut Certified Forest Practitioners
Connecticut Forest Practices Act (Chapter 451a of the Connecticut General Statutes)
Regulations - Certification of Forest Practitioners
Regulations - Conduct of Forest Practitioners
Best Management Practices for Water Quality while Harvesting Forest Products
Agriculture, Forestry & Wetlands Protection in Connecticut (pdf, 11.5 MB)
For more information on the certification program, please contact:
Doug Emmerthal
Division of Forestry
Department of Environmental Protection
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 424-3630
douglas.emmerthal@ct.gov
