Adam Hodgson
Professor of Natural Environment, Sault College
Sault College’s perfect geographic juxtaposition and unmatched experiential learning offer prospective students something truly unique, Professor Adam Hodgson explains.
Managing Canada’s forests isn’t only about growing and managing trees. It’s about sustaining the values and benefits that a biologically-diverse, naturally-functioning forested ecosystem provides today and for future generations. Sault College offers a unique opportunity for students to develop the skills necessary for pursuing their passion for maintaining and enhancing Canada’s vast forested landscape. Within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe people, in the heart of the Great Lakes, and in the transition of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence and Boreal forest regions, Sault Ste. Marie is a natural fit for hands-on, in-the-field, experiential learning.
Whichever of the five School of Natural Environment diploma programs students are enrolled in, they’ll leave Sault College with a unique set of job-ready skills needed to support the sustainable management of Canada’s forests. Using new and emerging technologies, we commit a significant portion of the students’ time to being in the field. Whether in the forests, lakes, or wetlands, our students learn to accurately and precisely collect field attributes relevant to their course of study.
Sault Ste. Marie is a natural fit for hands-on, in-the-field, experiential learning.
Sault Ste. Marie is home to the Ontario Forest Research Institute, the Canadian Forest Service — Great Lakes Forestry Centre, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s headquarters. Our students tour these organizations and often gain leads for future employment. Unique to Sault College, and enclosed in regular tuition fees, we offer our Forestry Technician students certification as Type 1 Initial Attack forest firefighters through Ontario’s SP100 training program.
Our faculty functions as a team, embracing integration and collaboration, while providing a supportive and positive learning environment. Students will become more comfortable to step outside their comfort zones, challenging themselves to find solutions, and developing team leadership skills in preparation for real-life employment situations.
