The accreditation shows that HCC’s program provides an education whose objectives are consistent with professional standards and that the college has the resources to help students accomplish those goals. Through its accreditation, SAF seeks to improve forestry education by periodically having programs self-evaluate and undergo peer review by educators and practicing foresters. 

“Over the years, we have been fortunate to have high-quality faculty and students, with our graduates going on to have successful careers in forestry and natural resources management,” said Blair Bishop, lead instructor for the program. 

HCC’s program, established in 1967, attracts students from across the state and region as well as from Haywood County. The campus serves as an outdoor laboratory for forestry students, allowing them to practice land surveying, tree identification and timber stand evaluation. More than 75 percent of the main campus is forested, and HCC also owns several teaching forests.