Foresters

Certification or Licensing

Voluntary certification is offered by the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and requirements include having completed a professional level (bachelor's degree or higher) education program and having at least five years of professional forestry experience. Those who meet requirements receive the designation certified forester and must complete a certain amount of continuing education for certification renewal every three years. The SAF recently added two new certification programs: certified urban and community forester and certified forest technician. Visit https://www.eforester.org for more information about these programs.

Currently 15 states have some type of licensing or registration for foresters. Depending on state regulations, these may be either voluntary or mandatory. The SAF can provide information on states' requirements. You should also check with your state to find out about specific statutes and regulations.