Training Guidelines

Goal and Qualifications

To establish and maintain a statewide program for loggers, foresters, and others in the forestry community that fulfill the basic three pillars; safety, environment, and business of ProLogger and in accordance with Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) guidelines

To establish and maintain a statewide program for loggers, foresters, and others in the forestry community that fulfill the basic three (3) tenets; safety, environmental and business of ProLogger and in accordance with SFI guidelines.

1. Each logger is trained to employ safe and efficient timber cutting and logging safety practices.
2. Each logger is trained to use Best Management Practices (BMP’s) as they relate to the NC Forest Practice Guidelines (FPG).
3. Each logger must participate in annual continuing education module.
4. Each trained logger is a member of the North Carolina Forestry Association.

Requirements

1. New Loggers

• Individuals will be recognized as a ProLogger upon completion of the base ProLogger course.
• There will be three base course opportunities each year across the state with one being held in each of the following: eastern region (Wayne Community College), piedmont region (Montgomery Community College), and western region (McDowell Technical Community College).
• Loggers will be placed on a “Hold” list when they sign up and pay the $250 nonrefundable fee for the ProLogger base course.
  • A logger can remain on the “Hold” list a maximum of one year.
  • The logger must take the ProLogger base course within one year to be considered a ProLogger.
  • If a logger fails to take the base ProLogger base course within one year, he/she will have to sign up and pay $250 nonrefundable fee again to take the base course and become a ProLogger.

2. North Carolina ProLoggers

• The ProLogger year runs from June 30 – June 30. ProLoggers must complete annual training by June 30 and pay their annual dues by June 30. A 30-day grace period will be exercised to collect past dues, but payment must be received no later than July 31st after that training year.
• Annual ProLogger dues are $110, which includes NCFA membership.
• In the event an individual recognized as a ProLogger by the State Implementation Committee (SIC} and the NCFA’s Safety, Logging and Transportation Committee (NC SLTC) does not fulfill the requirements,; that individual will no longer be considered ProLogger trained and must complete the reinstatement requirements to be considered a ProLogger.

3. Loggers from states that have reciprocity agreements with North Carolina

• North Carolina currently has reciprocity agreements with all the southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

4. Loggers wishing to transfer their records from a reciprocity state listed above and be considered a ProLogger must send a copy of the current trained status from their respective state and proof of attendance or graduation from the appropriate logger education course to the NCFA.

5. Loggers from states that do not have reciprocity agreements with North Carolina

• Persons who have been trained in states where North Carolina does NOT have reciprocity must submit training records to the NCFA to be considered trained. He/she will be required to take further training topics (invasive species, NC best management practices) up to the complete ProLogger base course.

Reinstatement

1. A ProLogger not meeting training or payment requirements for the current year will have two options:
   1. Pay a $500 “Reinstatement Fee” plus $110 Annual dues and arrange with a registered forester or authorized trainer to watch the current year’s annual module within the first year. Reach out to Mike Powell (link to his email) for more information.
   2. Re-take the ProLogger three-day base course and pay a fee of $250.

Annual Training

1. Annual program content is determined by joint input from the NC SLTC and SFI SIC. Members are polled at the first meeting of the calendar year for topics. During the succeeding months, topics are screened for content, applicability to the three pillars of ProLogger (safety, environment and business) and the SFI standard (the Forest Stewardship Council does not have a logger training requirement), availability of content, practicality, and scripting options.
2. The joint education subcommittee will consist of the SIC chair and co-chair, the SLTC chair and co-chair, representatives from the NC Forest Service, Forestry Mutual Insurance Company, OSHA, and members at large from the SIC and SLTC committees.
3. The joint education subcommittee are responsible for making the final determination of program content and will present the results to each respective committee. During program development, this committee is the determinant of content and direction.

Funding

1. ProLogger funding comes partially from the annual dues loggers pay. Funding has also been obtained from other sources throughout the years, including THATS Foundation, Golden LEAF, and from other states’ SIC committees. Any funds from these sources go towards reducing the out-of-pocket costs of the NCFA.
2. The NCFA will pursue opportunities to collaborate and share the cost of training with other states.
3. The NCFA can sell lease agreements for individual segments to other states for a minimum cost of $2,000.00 per segment.

Administration

1. A database of ProLogger graduates and annual training will be maintained by the NCFA. Notification of annual training completion will be handled with a class sign in sheet.
2. The ProLogger will receive an invoice and may have the opportunity to pay the annual dues upon completion of the annual training.
3. A current listing of ProLogger individuals will be available at any time to NCFA member companies. The list may be distributed in digital form or by email and is posted on the NCFA’s Members Only website.
4. ProLoggers can check their status and update their profile through the NCFA’s members-only website. The ProLogger ID #, name, company, city, and state of the individual trained, module completed, and year through which his/her status is active. If the individual does not meet the ProLogger training or payment requirements and their status lapses, they will be removed from the directory on August 1st of the training year

Promotion of Trained Individuals

Recognition of ProLogger status acknowledges an individual’s commitment to advance the logging profession in North Carolina through training and education. This status is not licensing or accreditation.

ProLogger Training Standards for North Carolina Review

The ProLogger Training Standards for North Carolina will be reviewed by the SIC/SLTC join education subcommittee every two years for updates and revisions.