Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Forest Practices Act

In 1991, the Connecticut General Assembly passed the Forest Practices Act. Through this legislation, it was made a matter of law that " no person shall advertise, solicit, contract or engage in commercial forest practices within this state at any time without a certificate" issued by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. (CGS Sec. 23-65h, revised 1998). 

The responsibility for issuing forest practitioner certificates, and for managing and enforcing these requirements, has been delegated to the Forestry Division within DEEP. The Forestry Division conducts the testing required for certification, enforces the certification rules, conducts investigations into possible violations of these rules, and recommends fines and other punishments for violators.

Through the certification process, the Forestry Division seeks to:

  • Improve the quality of forestry practiced in Connecticut's woodlands;
  • Protect private woodland owners from poorly qualified or unscrupulous foresters, loggers, or other forest practitioners; and
  • Provide a means of assessing the types of forest activities occurring within the state.

There are three levels of certification. To learn more about each level of certification, including to see a list of certified individuals, please select one of the following:

Forester Certification
Supervising Forest Products Harvester Certification
Forest Products Harvester Certification

Directory of Certified Forest Practitioners

Please Note: Only certified foresters who are qualified by further training are eligible to assist to landowners who are in the process of seeking classification of their lands as "forest land" CGS Sec. 12-107d (aka Public Act 490).

Application for Commercial Forest Practitioner Certification

Application Instructions

The application form is available in two different formats:
Application and Fees Form
Application and Fees Form

Content last updated in January 2022.