Forests are an important part of our ecosystem keeping humans, animals, and other micro-organisms alive and if you wish to learn more about it without breaking the bank you are at the right place. Curated in this blog post are free online forestry courses that you can partake in from the comfort of your home and rest assured that you’d gain quality knowledge on forestry.
Although I have published several articles on free online courses each time I still write on a new topic it never ceases to amaze me just how many things one could learn online. The most amazing part is that these online courses are taught by professors and experts from some of the top institutions and organizations from around the world.
So, whatever it is that you wish to learn online, whether it is an online baking class or an acting class online, best believe that they are taught by the best in the industry to ensure that you gain a relevant skillset that will make you employable, set you apart from the competition, and take your career to the next level. I wonder if many people enroll in these courses because it is like the biggest opportunity that the education sector and the internet offer to everyone.
If you haven’t been considering taking an online course, you should today as they have loads of benefits to offer to you. Too busy to take an online course? They offer flexibility and self-paced learning which means you can incorporate them into your busy schedule and study when you can. Don’t have the finance to pay for an online course? There are thousands of free online courses spread across all disciplines, you can enroll for them without spending a dime.
Don’t have prior knowledge? Most, if not all, online courses have beginner or introductory-level courses in that specific field that you want to learn that teach you from scratch. So, what excuse do you have not to enroll in an online class? Oh wait, you don’t know where to find them? Easy. Learn Online for Free offers guides to all kinds of free and paid online courses from diverse disciplines and puts them in one place to help you find whatever you are looking for without stress.
In this blog post, I have curated a list of free online forestry courses designed for environmental and conservation enthusiasts and professionals, aspiring forest managers, forestry and wildlife students, and everyone who wish to gain a better understanding of the importance of forest in the environment.
However, to become grounded in forestry, you should earn a college degree, hundreds of colleges offer world-class degree programs in forestry. But before you get to the list of best forestry schools, let’s quickly take a look at what forestry is all about.
What is Forestry?
Forestry is the science or practice of growing and taking care of forest trees and managing and maintaining forest lands for commercial, public, and agricultural uses. Those who practice this are known as foresters, conservationists, or forest managers. If you wish to pursue a career in forestry you must obtain a degree, certificate, or diploma from an accredited university or college.
You can make your college choice to apply for a forestry program from one of the best schools listed below and earn a world-class forestry degree.
List of Best Colleges and Universities for Forestry
If you are looking to pursue a college degree in forestry or forestry-related programs like horticulture, forestry and wildlife, forestry management, etc. the following are the best schools.
- The University of California, Berkeley
- Harvard University
- The University of Queensland
- Cornell University
- Michigan State University
- Purdue University
- Texas A&M University
- China Agricultural University
- The University of Florida
- Technical University of Munich
- The University of Alberta
- Oregon State University
- Swedish University of Agriculture
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences
- Ghent University
- Beijing Forestry University
- Washington State University
- The University of Maryland
- The University of KwaZulu-Natal
- The University of British Columbia
- ETH Zurich
- The University of Abomey-Calavi
- The University of Toronto
- The University of Gottingen
These universities are among the world’s best for offering diploma and certificate courses as well as undergraduate and graduate degree programs in forestry and its related disciplines.
How to Become a Forester?
To become a forester or forest manager, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry from an accredited institution. Other forestry-related programs take lesser time to complete like the forest technician program which takes 2 years to complete but you will earn an associate’s degree.
You may also choose to study for a diploma or certificate course in forestry and then gradually work your way up to become a professional forester. But do know that those with a degree in forestry will be chosen over those with a diploma or certificate.
Where can I Work as a Forester?
Having earned a degree in forestry, you can work in the following places and positions:
- Forest ranger
- Conservationist
- Wildlife biologist
- Forester
- Environmental scientist
- Amenity Horticulturist
- Wildland firefighter
- Forestry consultant
- Forestry technician
- Arboriculturist
- Conservation science professor
- State Parks
- Timber companies
- Forestry firms and lumber companies
- Conservation organizations
How much does a Forester Earn?
The average salary of a forester is $74,437 per year, it ranges from $61,874 to $89,573.
Free Online Forestry Courses
The following are free online forestry courses:
- An Introduction to Forest Management
- Advanced Diploma in Forest Management
- Forestry: A Beginners Guide
- Managing Forests
- Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing World
- Climate-smart Forestry
- Introduction to National Socioeconomic Surveys in Forestry
- Institutionalization of Forest Data
- Introduction to Climate and Ecological Models for Forest Adaptation
- Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing World
1. An Introduction to Forest Management
Forest management is the process of protecting and maintaining a forested area. If you have no prior experience in forestry and wish to learn or you want to pursue a degree in forest management or any field in forestry but want to test the waters before diving then this is the perfect course for you.
Enrolling in this course will introduce you to the science of forest management and equip you with foundational knowledge for the next phase. The course consists of only three modules that take about 3 hours to complete. Topics discussed in the course include forest definitions, the value of forests, the classification of forests, silviculture, plant growth factor, ecological succession, and many more.
2. Advanced Diploma in Forest Management
This course, Advanced Diploma in Forest Management, is offered by Alison and offers a free certification upon completion. The course is perfect for forest managers and those already working or about to start working in the field of forestry. Enrolling in this course will update you with the latest forest management practices as well as policies.
You may also take this course as a student of forestry, forest management, or its related. The course is broad and consists of about 16 modules that take about 30 hours to complete. At the end of the course, you will learn the process of logging and processing, gain a better understanding of silviculture, forest management practices, and many more. This is one of the free online forestry courses you should consider taking.
3. Forestry: A Beginners Guide
Here is another free online forestry course designed for beginners and those without prior knowledge of forestry. This course will equip learners with knowledge of forestry and its importance in our ecosystem. They will also learn certain practices to keep forests safe and prevent hazards from occurring. It is a short course that consists of only 2 modules and takes about 3 hours to complete.
4. Managing Forests
Managing Forests is a free online course on Coursera provided by West Virginia University that discusses various topics like managing forests, harvesting wood, comparing fuel values, and forest cover and harvests. By the end of the course, you will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of wood to the world economy.
There are 20,000 students enrolled in this course and over 70% of them gave the course a 5-star rating which means that the course meets their expectations. So, if you study forestry or any of its related courses, then you should consider taking this course.
5. Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing World
The above-named online course is offered by the University of British Columbia (UBC) designed for master’s level students and undergraduates studying forest management. The course explores the evolution of sustainable forest management through the lens of climate change. It further provides an overview of the criteria and indicators that are used worldwide to guide sustainable forest management practices.
6. Climate-smart Forestry
Climate-smart Forestry is a free online course offered by FAO e-learning Academy to anyone who wants to gain an in-depth understanding of climate change and environment, forests, and landscape restoration. The course explores the role of forests and trees in climate-smart agriculture and takes into consideration the ecosystem services and goods that forests provide. Certification is provided to those who complete the course.
7. Introduction to National Socioeconomic Surveys in Forestry
This is also another free course from FAO e-learning Academy for anyone who wants to learn more about forests and landscape restoration. It is a 1-hour course that you can download into your device. The course discusses topics on forests and livelihoods, forest-related questions in household surveys, and the new survey tool-forestry modules.
At the end of the course, you will learn about the socioeconomic contributions of forests and tees to household welfare and livelihoods and many more.
8. Institutionalization of Forest Data
Institutionalization of Forest Data is a free online forestry course offered by the FAO e-learning Academy to anyone involved in climate change and environment and other forestry-related studies. The course explores the efficient and effective use of forest data and the importance of establishing a robust national forest monitoring system within countries.
When you complete the course, you will sit for a final exam to earn a digital certification. However, only those with a minimum grade of 75% will be conferred the certification.
9. Introduction to Climate and Ecological Models for Forest Adaptation
This is one of the free online forestry courses offered by the University of British Columbia (UBC). In this course, students will learn about the various climatic and ecological modeling tools as well as practical applications of scale-free climate models and niche-based ecological models in forest and ecological resource management to increase the resilience and viability of forest ecosystems.
10. Sustainable Forest Management in a Changing World
There are several indicators used around the world to guide sustainable forest management practices, you will gain a deeper knowledge of these indicators in this course and learn other principles as well as the application of sustainable forest management within the context of climate change.
The course is designed for master’s level and advanced undergraduate students in forest management degree programs.
These courses are designed to equip you with fundamental and/or deeper knowledge of forestry studies and its related disciplines. Note that none of the courses here will make you become a forester from scratch if that is what you are looking for then you must earn a degree from an accredited university.
FAQs
What can I do with a degree in forestry?
A degree in forestry makes you a forestry expert, specialist, professional, or forester. The degree can lead you to careers and opportunities in conservation and resource management, safety and enforcement, earth sciences, transport, and infrastructure.
How long does it take to become a forester?
To become a forester, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry and this typically takes 4 years to complete, thus, it takes 4 years to become a forester.
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