Educational Programs and Workshops
Idaho’s family forest landowners have diverse goals for their property. One common goal is to be good stewards.
Our educational programs and workshops are designed to increase the knowledge base that Idaho’s forestland owners and managers use to plan and implement natural resource management activities.
Find educational programs that help forestland owners and managers strengthen forest stewardship skills. Learn how to become an Idaho Master Forest Steward. Locate events that offer continuing education and certification credits for:
- Idaho Department of Agriculture pesticide recertification
- Idaho Pro-Logger program
- Society of American Foresters Certified Forester program
- Idaho schoolteachers (through the University of Idaho)
Check our calendar for specific dates.
Strengthening Forest Stewardship Skills events are designed to help family forest owners and those who work with them strengthen their forest stewardship skills. Below is a list of the upcoming University of Idaho Extension Forestry stewardship programs. Events details will be added as they are finalized. Check this page for updates or check the University of Idaho Extension calendar for more offerings.
*All programs are Pacific Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Identifying Idaho's Trees
Registration Brochure 2023 | PDF
St. Maries
- Tuesday, March 14 (1-4 p.m.)
Community Presbyterian Church, 1100 College Avenue
$10 per person
Post Falls
- Saturday, April 8 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
UI Extension, Kootenai County, 958 S Lochsa Street, Room 302
$10 per person
Landscaping for Fire Prevention
Registration Brochure 2023 | PDF
Post Falls
- Saturday, March 4 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
UI Extension, Kootenai County, 958 S Lochsa Street, Room 302
$10 per person
St. Maries
- Tuesday, March 21 (1-4 p.m.)
Community Presbyterian Church, 1100 College Avenue
$10 per person
Backyard Forests
Registration Brochure 2023 | PDF
St. Maries
- Thursday, March 23 (1-4 p.m.)
Community Presbyterian Church, 1100 College Avenue
$10 per person
Map & Compass for Forestry
Registration Brochure | PDF
Sandpoint
- Saturday, March 18 (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)
U of I Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N Boyer Road
$10 per person
10 Acres and a Dream
Registration Brochure | PDF
Sandpoint
- Saturday, May 13 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
U of I Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N Boyer Road
$15 per person
Measuring Your Trees
Registration Brochure | PDF
Sandpoint
- Wednesday, June 7 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
U of I Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N Boyer Road
$20 per person
Thinning & Pruning Field Day
Registration Brochure | PDF
Bonners Ferry
- Saturday, June 17 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
UI Extension, Boundary County, 6447 Kootenai Street
$20 per person
Forestry Shortcourse
Registration Brochure | PDF
Sandpoint
- Wednesday mornings (9 a.m. to Noon)
June 14, 21, 28 & July 5, 12, 19
U of I Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N Boyer Road
$38 per person ($120 for U of I credit)
2023 Program information on topics when available
- Forest Insects and Disease Field Day
- Restoring Idaho Streams
- Planning Your Forestry Estate
- Turning Idaho Trees into Wreaths
- Current Topics in Forest Health
Additional N. Central Idaho Programs
Contact the UI Extension office in Clearwater County or visit their website for details.
- Introduction to Forest & Land Management
- Managing for Forest Resiliency
- Wildfire Risk Reduction
- Forest Owners Peer Learning Tour
Idaho Master Forest Stewards receive over 70 hours of training, much of which consists of selected existing UI Extension programs many Idaho forest owners may have already completed (credit is given for previous attendance). Training includes several of the workshops listed in the 2020-2021 Strengthening Forest Stewardship Skills calendar, indicated by (IMFS) at the end of the event description. But the program also includes new indoor and outdoor educational experiences designed to take participants to the next level of managing their forest and helping other forest owners to do the same. These one-day “IMFS core session(s)” are held at forested sites throughout northern Idaho to expose participants to a range of forest ecosystems.
Learn more about becoming a certified Idaho Master Forest Steward at the University of Idaho Extension Forestry Panhandle website or by calling Chris Schnepf at the University of Idaho Extension office in Kootenai County at 208-446-1680.
Idaho Master Forest Stewards 2022
- IMFS Fall Gathering, Orofino, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022
The Logger Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP) program is a nationally acclaimed University of Idaho Extension program. It began at the request of loggers who want to improve their skills, document and market their services and communicate more effectively with family forest owners and managers. Credits are available to participants to fulfill continuing education requirements of the Idaho Pro-Logger Program.
LEAP 2023
Post Falls
- April 4-6 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
UI Extension, Kootenai County, 958 S Lochsa Street, Room 302
$75 per person ($55 as part of a crew)
Moscow
- April 18-20 (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)
U of I Pitkin Forest Nursery, 1025 Plant Science Rd.
$75 per person ($55 as part of a crew)
LEAP Update is an annual opportunity for loggers to build on LEAP with in-depth training on forestry topics. The program also helps loggers meet Idaho Pro-Logger BMP training and continuing education requirements. For more information on the Idaho Pro-Logger program and credit requirements, contact the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho (ALC) at 208-667-6473.
LEAP Update 2023
Lewiston
- Tuesday, March 7 | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | check-in opens at 7:15 a.m.
LCSC Williams Conference Center, Room 801-899, 4th Street
$45 per person
St. Maries
- Wednesday, March 8 | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | check-in opens at 7:15 a.m.
Elks Lodge, 628 Main Avenue
$45 per person
Sandpoint
- Thursday, March 9 | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. | check-in opens at 7:15 a.m.
Ponderay Events Center, 401 Bonner Mall Way, Suite E
$45 per person