The Natural Resources &Forestry Program allows students to gain practical skills through introductory experiences with forest products, wildlife management, conservation practices, forest recreation, soil and water quality analysis, urban tree management and landscape design/installation.
What We Do
Outdoor laboratories– 4,000 acre Rutland City Watershed and various private lands, Career Exploration and related college guidance, meet professionals through site visits, field trips, competitions and community service activities, learn about residential landscaping as part of the Student Craft house project, raise seasonal vegetable and landscape plant seedlings.
Program Instructor
Mark Raishart
Mark Raishart has been instructor of Forestry and Natural Resource Management at Stafford Technical Center since 2010. He graduated from Green Mountain College in 2002 with a B.A. in Environmental Science and 2016 with a M.S. in Environmental Studies. Since college, he has worked throughout the US in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, conservation, and outdoor education. His work has included natural area stewardship at the Holden Arboretum in northeast Ohio, commercial beekeeping in the Champlain Valley, and managing educational farming and forestry operations at Smokey House Center in Danby, VT. Mark is outdoors most of the time- paddling, hiking, and managing his 70 acre property. Mark lives in Addison County, Vermont with his family.
[email protected]
770-1057
Dan Lovell
Dan Lovell has been working for Stafford since September of 2012. Previously, Dan has been working for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, as Educational Programs Technician, Multimedia Specialist and as a Natural Resources Instructor. Dan attended Johnson State College, where he earned a BFA in photography and studio arts. Dan also teaches photography and the digital arts through Stafford’s Adult and Continuing Education programs as well as in Burlington through Burlington City Arts. Dan has been teaching photography programs since 2005.
[email protected]
770-1057
Hannah Poljacik, Class of 2014
Stafford changed my path by letting me try out new things that I had never done before. Before Stafford, I had never used a chainsaw, couldn’t drive a backhoe, and didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school. Not only will you get it experience new things, any program will give you a great view of different jobs in a field.
Program Advisory Committee
| Name | Business |
|---|---|
| David Birdsall | |
| Nancy McGuire | Natural Resource Management NRCD |
| Dave Schneider | Rutland City Forester Arborist |
| Chris Stone | Rutland County Forester VT |
| Ken Gagnon | Gagnon Lumber |
| Russell Reay | |
| Monica Pryzperhart |
Dual Enrollment/College Credits
Articulation agreements Paul Smith’s College and Unity College, Dual Enrollment with Vermont Technical College
Certifications
US Dept. of Labor (OSHA) 10 hour Construction Safety Certification, American Heart Association HeartSaver® First Aid/CPR with AED, Game of Logging; Wilderness First Aid; Students completing 90% of the Core Competencies will receive a certificate from Stafford Technical Center.
Average Career Salaries
| Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Forest Technician | $56,320 |
| Landscaper | $63,810 |
| Environmental Researcher | $67,460 |
| Wildlife Biologist | $59,680 |
*Average Salaries taken from the Department of Labor (dol.gov), Payscale (payscale.com), and Sokanu (sokanu.com).
Requirements For This Program
Recommended Prerequisites: add, subtract, multiply, divide whole numbers, fractions, and decimals; basic customary and metric measuring skills; basic understanding of area and volume vs. weight; able to read a tape measure; effective communication skills; strong work ethic; ability to perform physical labor on the job site and in classroom; competency with fine and gross motor skills