Northern College's Natural Resource Technician Program provides students with a high quality learning experience. This program is suited to students who possess a keen sense of curiosity about the natural environment, enjoy being outdoors, and want to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career in fields related to ecology and environmental science. These include traditional careers in forestry and fish and wildlife management, as well as non-traditional natural resource-based careers such as ecotourism and reclamation and remediation.

The program provides a unique blend of hands-on field experience for the development of natural resource skills combined with an array of targeted studies to give students a solid scientific understanding of the ecosphere. The economic basis of resource allocation and utilization is covered, along with the role of society and government in setting the agenda for resource development.

In addition to teaching the skills and knowledge specific to natural resources management, the program equips graduates with a valuable tool kit of interpersonal and communications skills. Graduates can not only conduct field exercises to obtain data to answer scientific questions, they can evaluate data collected, summarize results, package information and make effective presentations to administrators or the public. These skills are also beneficial in careers in parks and businesses involved in natural attraction interpretation and marketing. Employers place a high value on these abilities, which are taught both in specific courses and as part of the background of the curriculum in general.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of this program are equipped with a solid base of technical skills and knowledge in natural resource sciences, as well as the interpersonal and communication skills which are highly valued by employers. This prepares graduates for a wide range of career opportunities in both public and private sectors, including employment in the fields of habitat assessment and natural resource inventory; forest resource management; fisheries and wildlife management; geographic information systems; biological and environmental research programs; environmental assessment and protection; and zoos and wildlife parks. Graduates are also prepared for work in parks management and interpretation programs; the development and management of wetlands and protected areas; ecotourism; and outdoor attraction management.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)

Or equivalent.

Or mature student status (an applicant who does not have a high school diploma or equivalent, and will have reached the age of 19 years on or before the start of the program). Mature students must undergo academic testing prior to admission into a program. Call the Admissions Office at 705-235-7222 for more details.

Note: Academic prerequisites for this program may be obtained free of charge through Academic Upgrading. Refer to the Post-Secondary Preparation section in this calendar for more details.

Program of Studies

Semester I
CM1903-A Communications I
GN1082 College Success
IN1013 Computer Applications I
NR1002 Environment and Job Search Strategies
NR1003 Environmental Science I
NR1024 Resource Calculations I
NR1043 Dendrology and Plant Identification
NR1044 Outdoor Skills
NR1054 Wildlife Identification, Ecology and Inventory I

Semester II
CM2903-A Communications II
IN2013 Computer Applications II
NR2023 Equipment Operation and Maintenance
NR2034 Wildlife Identification, Ecology and Inventory II
NR2054 Resource Calculations II
NR2063 Animal and Plant Biology
NR2083 Silviculture
NR2093 Environmental Science II

Semester III
BU3053 Entrepreneurial Skills
NR3000 Field Camp
NR3001 Student Work Placement
NR3023 Parks Management and Interpretation
NR3033 Resource Management Project
NR3043 Geographic Information Systems I
NR3094 Soils and Hydrology
NR3113 Advanced Field Techniques
NR3123 Forest Protection

Semester IV
NR4013 Resource Law and Regulations
NR4022 Human Relations and First Nations Resource Management
NR4044 Experimental Design and Analysis
NR4053 Reclamation and Remediation
NR4063 Geographic Information Systems II
NR4083 Forest Management Planning
NR4093 Environmental Assessment

For program information:
Warren Schaffer
Program Coordinator
705-672-3376 ext. 8816
schafferw@northern.on.ca