Seminars and Training Services

Seminars and Training Services

Forestry Training Services provides a variety of forestry and tree-related educational seminars and certification services. Ken Fosty,  Accredited Workplace Safety North Chainsaw Safety Instructor,  is a fully licensed and insured Certified Arborist with over 40 years of professional experience in the forestry field.

Ken has combined his professional and instructional expertise in delivering educational seminars throughout Canada.

Ken is a Certified Professional Chainsaw Instructor and provides chainsaw safety certification training to numerous groups including industry, landowners, utilities, First Nations, Inuit and Metis. He is also a certified Manitoba Provincial Lumber Scaler as well as a Non-Timber Forest Product Instructor providing instructional presentations on numerous wild crafting topics including wreath making and herbal teas.

He manages his woodlot in Southeast Manitoba. He uses his woodlot as his hands-on laboratory to grow Christmas trees, produce firewood, cultivate trees and shrubs, produce  maple and birch syrup and grow nutritious organic mushrooms.

All of the sessions are aimed at novices or more experienced people who are ready to hear the latest information. Some sessions may be eligible for Canadian Agricultural Skills Services (CASS) funding and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) credit where applicable.

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209
E Mail

Basics of Sawmilling and Adding Value to Your Trees

Basics of Sawmilling and Adding Value to Your Trees

For those beginners interested in purchasing a sawmill and adding value through proper sawing and handling of lumber, Ken Fosty provides this multi-media presentation combined with illustrational videos and hands-on props.

Ken discusses wood properties and uses, lumber defects, knots and insect damage. Bandsaws, circular sawmills and chainsaw sawmills are explored. Proper lumber stacking, air drying, kiln drying, lumber stickering, edging and end coating are discussed.

An excellent introductory course for those interested in sawmilling. Hands-on outdoor practical session on the sawmill completes the workshop. All participants are involved in all aspects of milling lumber. Certificates are awarded to all participants.

 

"Making lumber from trees growing on our First Nation land. Wow!"

 

"Ken was very informative and helpful."

 

"This was a great course and I learned so much about operating a bandsaw and making lumber"

 

Timing: Year Round

Duration: Two Days

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

Email: kenfosty@shaw.ca

Tree Planter’s Seminar for Employment

Tree Planter’s Seminar for Employment

 

Participants in this workshop will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to gain employment as a tree planter.

 This seminar is customized for seedling planting on cutover reforestation sites.
Multi-media presentations and handouts illustrate industrial site preparation, common seedling planting errors, proper seedling planting techniques, snow caching seedlings, fundamentals of forest regeneration, equipment, tools, first aid, etc. Hands-on training and educational videos reinforce proper tree planting methods.
This training workshop has a classroom session and an outdoor hands-on field session.
The afternoon outdoor session requires that participants plant numerous seedlings in an outdoor environment. Spruce seedlings and planting shovels are provided. Planting is done under the direct supervision of the workshop instructor, Ken Fosty, who has 39 years of tree planting experience. Certificates of Achievement are awarded to participants.

Timing: Spring and Fall

Duration: One Day

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, seedlings, planting spades, props, equipment and take-home handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

EMAIL

Woodlot Services – Private Land Forest Assessment for Timber Value

Woodlot Services – Private Land Forest Assessment for Timber Value

Landowners interested in having timber harvested from their property and supplementing their income can contact Ken Fosty for an on-site woodlot walk’n talk.
Ken has 30 years of direct woodlot experience and will ‘timber cruise’ the property with the landowner. With the aid of photo imagery, he will provide an estimate of timber volume and stumpage value.
Ken has up-to-date knowledge of current timber prices and numerous contacts with Forestry Harvesting Contractors across Manitoba. Ken provides a written “Contract for Sale of Standing Timber” to the landowner and acts as a liason with the harvesting contractor and landowner.
The Contract for Sale of Standing Timber is a valuable tool for both parties as it details the harvesting process including down-payment, access, timing, duration, insurance liability, etc to ensure satisfaction for both parties.
Ken’s recommendations also include recreational benefits, wildlife enhancement, planting trees and berry producing shrubs, seedling sources, traditional and non-timber forest products.

Timing: Year Round

Duration: One Day

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

EMAIL

How to Prune Landscape Trees

How to Prune Landscape Trees

Landowners often neglect the annual pruning of trees. Without proper pruning, however, trees will not develop proper shade or form. Properly trained trees will stay healthy and live significantly longer.
When to prune depends on several factors, notably the species being grown and the reason you are pruning. Ken Fosty, Manitoba Certified Arborist received direct training from Dr. Alex Shigo at an intensive week-long workshop at Olds College.
Ken will transfer his knowledge to the participants and will illustrate proper tools and proper pruning cuts. With the aid of hands-on props, fundamentally important terms such as branch bark ridge, branch collar, included bark, flush cuts, callus, woundwood, compartmentalization, topping, etc. will be explained during this multi-media presentation.
All aspects of proper pruning of ornamental trees will be discussed. Learn when to prune, why to prune, what to prune and how to prune.
Participants will leave this seminar with the knowledge and ability to prune their own landscape trees.

Timing: Year Round

Duration: 1.5 hours

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

EMAIL

How to Prune Apple Trees

 

How to Prune Apple Trees

Proper pruning of apple trees is important to develop good, strong form, maximize fruit production and reduce insect/disease problems.
Using multi-media presentations, Ken Fosty, Manitoba Certified Arborist will illustrate how to train young trees, maintain tree health and restrict growth for older apple trees. Thinning out and heading back are discussed as well as proper tools and proper pruning cuts.
This presentation has two parts. The first part illustrates pruning and rejuvenating older, neglected apple trees. The second part focuses on training and pruning young apple trees. Without proper pruning, apple trees will not develop good form. Properly trained apple trees will yield high quality fruit much earlier and live significantly longer.
Participants will leave this seminar with the knowledge and ability to prune their own apple trees.

Timing: Year Round

Duration: 1.5 hours

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

EMAIL

Wreath Making and Non-Timber Forest Products (Seeing the Forest Beneath the Trees)

Wreath Making and Non-Timber Forest Products (Seeing the Forest Beneath the Trees)

Learn how to make your own wreaths from balsam fir, white spruce, pussy willows, dogwoods, tamarack or other interesting combinations.
This one-day seminar includes an outdoor session in the forest collecting branches, followed by an indoor classroom session. Ken Fosty, Certified Non Timber Forest Product Instructor leads the group with hands-on demonstration detailing how wreaths are made using a wreath making machine. Participants then make their own wreaths for take home.

Non-Timber forest products can provide opportunities for landowners to diversify their operation and supplement their income. At the end of the session, Ken provides an interesting audio visual presentation on numerous non-timber forest products that will be of interest to all.
Wildcrafting ideas briefly discussed include wild mushrooms, berries, Manitoba maple syrup, birch syrup, diamond willow/tamarack walking sticks and coat hangers, salves, candle holders, craft materials, decoratives, medicinal herbs and teas, etc. Many of these NTFP’s may be found in wooded areas on your property.

Timing: Year Round

Duration: One Day

Seminars are all-inclusive. All of the materials, wreath making machine, props, equipment and handout material are supplied.
 

For further information, bookings and cost inquiries contact:

Forestry Training Services

590 Rupertsland Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R2V 0H4

Cell 1-204-963-2209

EMAIL