Introduction

The JobStart/Future Skills Sector Partnerships Program of Saskatchewan Learning enabled a sector study of the woodlot/agroforestry industry in Saskatchewan. This industry profile is based on that study, published in September, 2001.

The woodlot/agroforestry industry established a partnership of industry members and key stakeholders through funding and support from the Sector Partnerships Program. These partners worked together to carry out a study that identified current and future hiring needs and training requirements.

Strategic planning enables industry and training providers to work together to provide training opportunities that match the skills the industry requires.

For more information about the Sector Partnership Report and this industry visit the Executive Summary. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file.

Canada Overview

• Forests cover 45% of Canada’s landmass. Private landowners own 6% of Canada’s total forested land. Because their forests are generally productive and of high quality, they actually hold 10% of all Canada’s forested land capable of producing commercial timber.
• Unlike industrial owners of forest land, most private landowners place little emphasis on the timber value of their forests. According to Natural Resources Canada, the majority of Canadian woodlot owners don’t harvest any wood from their land.
• These private landowners value their forested property for:

• recreation (horseback riding, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, bird watching and other activities)
• shelterbelts for farmland
• production of non-timber products
• food products (wild mushrooms, berries, oils)
• medicinal/pharmaceutical products
• floral and greenery products
• craft products

Saskatchewan Overview

• In Saskatchewan, harvesting timber from private lands has the potential to be a profitable industry.


• Timber harvested and replaced is a long-term, renewable and potentially financially rewarding resource for Saskatchewan.


• Much of the land, particularly in the northeast of the province, is transition land between forest and farmland. It could be used to produce and harvest timber as well as traditional agricultural crops.


• The 2001 survey with Saskatchewan landowners with wooded land indicated their main goals were passing the land on to someone in the family, generating income, preserving its ecology and using it for recreational purposes.


• A majority (63%) of the survey participants were undertaking woodlot management practices. These included planting, thinning, harvesting and processing for timber or firewood, developing trails, preserving wildlife/environment, and creating shelter or pasture land for cattle.

Skills and Abilities

In Saskatchewan, no comprehensive training for woodlot and agroforestry management exists. There are a few related courses available. These are provided by the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), the University of Saskatchewan, the Farm Woodlot Association of Saskatchewan, the Agriculture Institute of Management in Saskatchewan (AIMS), regional colleges and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT).

More comprehensive woodlot/forestry courses are offered in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, with extension services offered in Saskatchewan.

Want to find out what kind of related education and training programs are offered in Saskatchewan? Check into What to Study? to find out what’s available and where.

Skills and knowledge that workers in the industry may need include:

To effectively market their timber resources, landowners need to understand the needs of the market. They also need to focus on the quality, price and accessibility of their product.

The Future

The findings of the 2001 study show that Saskatchewan needs a basic technical course that can be offered in credit and non-credit formats. Landowners across the province indicate that they would welcome an accessible, affordable course. Such a course would contribute to the future of agroforestry in Saskatchewan.

Related Information

Visit the following Web sites for more information on the woodlot/agroforestry industry:

Farm Woodlot Association of Saskatchewan
Exploring Agroforestry Opportunities in Saskatchewan
International Centre for Research in Agroforestry

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