Conservation Law Enforcement

About the Program

As a Conservation Law Enforcement student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from faculty who have worked in the field and with hands-on learning as you prepare for your career! Opportunities to find your passion in three different concentrations help you learn the necessary skills you’ll need to be career-ready.

You have the option of pairing your degree with a minor or with one of our three concentrations.

Officer Jess Combs speaks with dispatch over her cruiser's CB radio

Conservation Law Enforcement

Dive deeper into UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in conservation law program.

Conservation Law Enforcement, AA

Earn a Associate of Arts degree in Conservation Law Enforcement.

Concentrations

Customize your conservation law degree to match your career goals with one of these concentrations.

Law Enforcement

Protect your community or your nation with a concentration in Law Enforcement.

Natural Resources

This concentration prepares you for careers as a Forest Ranger, Park Ranger, and more!

Wildlife Conservation

Do you want to work outside? Consider becoming a wildlife biologist!

Employers who have hired our graduates include:

  • Maine Warden Service
  • Maine Forest Rangers
  • National Park Service
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Maine Depart. of Conservation
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Depart. of Homeland Security
  • Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
  • Bureau of Parks and Lands
  • Maine State Police
  • Local Police Departments
UMFK alumni Kale O'Leary, Game Warden

Potential employers include:

  • Maine Warden Service
  • Maine Forest Rangers
  • National Park Service
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Maine Department of Conservation
  • Fish & Game
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Bureau of Parks and Lands
  • Maine State Police
  • Local Police Departments (various)

Graduates have careers as:

  • Game Warden
  • Forest Ranger
  • Conservation Law Officer
  • Marine Patrol
  • State Trooper
  • Sheriff Deputy
  • Police Officer
  • Border Patrol Agent
  • Customs and Border Officer
  • Forester and Forestry Technician

Career Outlook and Earning Potential

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Potential Occupations and Employment Outlook

Program Requirements

  • BIO 204: Zoology
  • CRJ 215: Principles of Investigations
  • CRJ 221: Ethics and Community
    OR
    BUS 260: Business Ethics
  • CRJ 242: Wildlife Forensics
  • CRJ 312: Grant Writing
  • CRJ 315: Public Policy
  • CRJ 398: Conservation Law Enforcement Internship
  • ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation & Management
  • FOR 100: Introduction to Forestry
  • FOR 109: Dendrology
  • FOR 131: Spreadsheets for Natural Resource Professionals
  • FOR 132: Forest Protection I
  • FOR 242: Map and LiDAR Interpretation
  • FOR 350: Forest Management Practicum
  • GEO 103: Introduction To Global Positioning Systems
  • GIS 300: GIS Applications I
  • MAT 128: College Algebra
  • MAT 251: Statistics I
  • SSC 327: Interpersonal Skills for Supervisors

Violette Wilderness Camp

Among the facilities students have access to

3.5 million acres

North Maine Woods

U.S. Fish and Wildlife

An example of where our graduates work today

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.

Environmental Studies

About the Program

As an Environmental Studies student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from hands-on learning, supportive and knowledgeable faculty as you prepare for careers to address local, regional, and global environmental issues. Opportunities to participate in research with faculty or on your own abound in our Living Labs!

Program Details

Dive deeper into UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in environmental science program.

Environmental Studies Minor

Examine current environmental issues and prepare to craft sustainable solutions.

Employers who have hired our graduates include:

  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Mt. Desert Island Bio Labs
  • Natural Heritage program
  • Department of Environmental Protection
  • Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • National Park Service
iWillConservation Law

Potential employers include:

  • State agencies
  • Federal agencies
  • Public research labs
  • Universities or non-profit labs

Graduates have careers as:

  • Lab technicians
  • Forest rangers
  • GIS technicians
  • Fisheries technicians
  • Environmental Consultants

Career Outlook and Earning Potential

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Potential Occupations and Employment Outlook

Program Requirements

  • BIO 100: General Biology
  • BIO 202: Botany
  • BIO 204: Zoology
  • BIO 339: Research Methods & Techniques
  • BIO 352: Ecology
  • BIO 380: Limnology
  • CHY 100: Chemistry I
  • CHY 101: Chemistry II
  • CRJ 346: Environmental Law
  • ENV 200: Principles of Environmental Science
  • ENV 300: Environmental Practicum   OR
     BIO 498: Senior Project
  • ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation & Management
  • ENV 310: Soil Science
  • ENV 404: The Dynamics of Water and Air
  • FOR 109: Dendrology
  • GIS 300: GIS Applications I
  • MAT 251: Statistics I

Restrictive Electives

Students will select 7 courses from a variety of subject areas: biology, criminal justice, English, environmental science, forestry, mathematics and physics.

Violette Wilderness Camp

Among the facilities students have access to

99%

Students who complete a research project before graduating

Department of Environmental Quality/Protection

An example of where our graduates work today

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.

Biology

About the Program

As a biology student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from small classes, supportive faculty, and hands-on learning as you prepare for a rewarding career in the biological sciences. Opportunities include internships, research projects, and experiential field trips to places such as the Violette Camp in the Allagash Wilderness.

Biology Program

In the Biology program  you will choose elective courses that reflect your individual interests and career paths.  You will participate in a Field Experience Program as part of  your coursework.

Biology Minor

The Biology minor provides an exploration within the biological field. Courses are offered for basic concepts as well as for application of the principles to a laboratory setting.

Employers who have hired our graduates in recent years include:

  • Jackson Lab
  • IDEXX
  • Mt Desert Isl. Bio Labs
  • Abbott Diagnostics
  • Natural Heritage program
  • Department of Environmental Quality/Protection
  • Forest Service
  • National Park Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
A group of Biology and Environmental Science students accompany their professor in the local woods as they learn about identifying various plants

Potential employers include:

  • Biotech industry
  • State agencies
  • Federal agencies
  • Public research labs
  • Universities or non-profit laboratories

Graduates have careers as:

  • Lab technicians
  • Forest rangers
  • GIS technicians
  • Fisheries technicians
  • Biological technicians

Career outlook and earning potential

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Potential Occupations

26.101 Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Program Requirements

  • BIO 100: General Biology I
  • BIO 202: Botany
  • BIO 204: Zoology
  • BIO 320: Genetics
  • BIO 339: Research Methods & Technology
  • BIO 352: Ecology
  • BIO 353: General Microbiology
  • BIO 353L: General Microbiology Lab
  • BIO 498: Senior Project
  • CHY 100: Chemistry I
  • CHY 101: Chemistry II
  • CHY 310: Organic Chemistry
  • GIS 300: GIS Applications I
  • MAT 251: Statistics

Restrictive Electives

Students will select 10 courses from a variety of subject areas: biology, environmental science, forestry, mathematics and physics.

Bio Park/Arboretum

Among the facilities students have access to

99%

Students who complete a research project before graduating

Jackson Lab

An example of where our graduates work today

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.

Forestry

About the Program

UMFK’s Forestry programs will provide you with the knowledge and hands-on learning experience you will need for a successful career in forestry.

  • You will work with forest owners to help them sustainably manage their land for wildlife, timber, and recreation.
  • You will conduct timber cruises, mark timber for harvest, plan roads and implement forestry best management practices
  • You will use science to develop forest management plans and manage timber harvesting operations.
  • You will help protect forests, preserve forest ecosystems, and wildlife habitats.
  • You will understand everything from forest ecology to soil science to wildlife management to forest operations and business.

Bryce Coffin, UMFK class of 2021, talks with an employee while standing in the woods near a feller buncher

SAF Accredited

There’s no better place to study forestry than the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Here’s why….

Location. We are located at the confluence of the Fish and St. John Rivers in the heart of Maine’s north woods and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. This provides opportunities for hands-on field work in a variety of forest ecosystems, forest ownerships, wildlife habitats, and rural land uses that are unmatched in the state, the northeast US, and the nation.

Affordability. We are the least expensive forestry school in the northeastern US and one of the most affordable in the country. In many cases, UMFK’s out-off-state tuition rate is lower than in-state tuition at forestry degree programs at other universities in the region.

Accreditation. UMFK’s A.A.S. in Applied Forest Management has long been accredited by the Society of American Foresters. As a new program, the B.S. in Forest Management builds on that successes and will be SAF-accredited once it has successfully passed through a period of candidacy.

Forest Management – Bachelor of Science

The B.S. in Forest Management builds on the courses comprising UMFK’s A.S. in Applied Forest Management, adding courses like advanced silviculture and mensuration, forest finance and timber procurement and forest policy that broaden the curriculum’s overall focus on forest management.

Professor Libin Louis works with a student in the forest

Applied Forest Management – Associate of Science

Prepare for a career in forestry with UMFK’s Applied Forest Management degree.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate

Earn a GIS Certificate, available on-campus or online. GIS provides a wealth of career opportunities. GIS can be applied to any field of study.

Minors

Customize your degree to match your career goals with one of these minors.

Forestry Minor

You will gain general knowledge of Maine’s most important natural resource and an understanding of forest biology and management.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Minor

With a GIS background you will have a competitive advantage easily find starting positions with government agencies or private firms.

Career Opportunities in Forestry

This is a great time to seek a career in forestry! The ratio of jobs to graduates is at an all-time high, and that ratio is only expected to increase.

The Associate of Science (A.S.) in Applied Forest Management and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Forest Management respond to the increasing statewide and national demand for professional foresters. Data suggest that “forester jobs are in demand,” with a growth rate of five percent for the period 2018-28.

Graduates find work as:

  • Foresters
  • Forest technicians
  • Managers of forest operations
  • Rangers for federal and state agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and the Maine Forest Service
  • GIS specialists
A forester oversees the harvesting of trees

Potential employers include:

  • Consulting foresters
  • Land management companies
  • Forest industry
  • Forestry, conservation, and agriculture departments of the state and federal governments.
  • Logging contractors
  • Timber and Fiber Procurement

Employers who have hired our graduates in recent years include:

  • U.S. Forest Service
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • American Forest Management
  • Irving Woodlands LLC
  • James W. Sewall Company
  • Landvest
  • Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
  • Maine Forest Service
  • Maine Land Use Regulation Commission
  • Seven Islands Land Company
  • Wagner Forest Management, Ltd.

Foresters

Foresters are responsible for the conservation of working forests. This means monitoring the health and directing the growth of forest stands where timber is harvested while following laws, best management practices, and scientific research to build and conserve habitats for fish and wildlife. Foresters understand history and write the future. Daily tasks vary according to the size and goals of the landowner or agency. A forester may provide comprehensive services to many small landowners or specialize in a particular aspect of forestry within a larger company or agency.

a forester uses spraypaint to mark the end of a log

Forest Technicians

Technicians carry out the day-to-day tasks of forestry. They provide skills in areas such as forest inventory, boundary surveying, timber marking, timber harvesting and road layout, and the supervision of harvesting, thinning, and planting crews. One outstanding option for an industry position is UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Government employers may prefer UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Forestry or Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Forestry student working in the woods

Forest Rangers

Forest rangers are in the business of forest protection.  Their job involves the detection, prevention, and suppression of forest fires and the monitoring of potentially damaging native and invasive insect populations.  Additionally, the job involves a great deal of public education. In some states, forest rangers are involved in prescribed burning. This is a forest management tool used in forest regeneration, to reduce fuels and fire potential, and to enhance wildlife habitat.

UMFK Adam Bagley Forestry Alumni

Forest Operations

Forest operators include equipment operators and crew supervisors. A recent trend has emerged where the forest industry is seeking forestry-educated individuals to run wood processors and other equipment. Several recent graduates are working in such positions. Others have become contractors and are running their own harvesting and operations companies. The UMFK business management major, coupled with a forestry degree, is a useful combination for individuals seeking careers in the business side of forestry. Both degrees can be completed in four years.

two forestry professionals on foresting equipment looking at a tablet computer

GIS/GPS Technicians

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field continues to provide many career opportunities for our students and graduates. There has been an increased number of paid internships in GIS and global positioning (GPS) for our students. Graduates in forestry have enough background in GPS and GIS to qualify as technicians for the growing GIS Industry. GIS technicians perform digitizing (mapping), GPS data collection, and basic GIS tasks. State government and private corporations currently have openings for mapping or cartographic technicians.

UMFK GIS student working on their laptop in the science lab.

Sample of Courses

  • FOR 100: Introduction to Forestry
  • FOR 131: Spreadsheets for Natural Resource Professionals
  • FOR 109: Dendrology
  • FOR 132: Forest Protection I
  • FOR 242: Map and LiDAR Interpretation
  • FOR 208: Forest Products, Harvesting, and Transportation
  • FOR 290: Forest Mensuration
  • GEO 103: Introduction To Global Positioning Systems
  • FOR 203: Surveying for Foresters
  • FOR 226: Forest Operations
  • FOR 332: Forest Inventory and Analysis
  • BUS 211: Introduction of Business
  • FOR 260: Silvics (Forest Ecology)
  • FOR 360: Silviculture
  • GIS 300: GIS Applications I
  • ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation & Management
    OR
    ENV 334: Wildlife Science
    OR
    ENV 354: Wildlife Habitat Interactions
  • SSC 327: Interpersonal Skills for Supervisors
  • FOR 330: Forest Protection II
  • FOR 350: Forest Management Practicum
  • FOR 361: Silvics/Silviculture Lab

Affordability

Least expensive forestry school in the northeastern U.S.

3.5 million acres

North Maine Woods

US Forest Service

One of our many internship opportunities

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.