How to Get Certified

What is Trained Logger Certification (TLC)?

The Trained Logger Certification (TLC) program was developed to recognize individual loggers (and other non-logger individuals interested in pursuing TLC) in New York state who have committed to advancing their skills, professionalism, and safety on site, in the woods, and on the roads. Although participation is voluntary, the New York State Implementation Committee of the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) recognizes TLC as meeting the standards for logger education, and many SFI participating companies require TLC as a requisite for delivering wood. TLC is also required by the New York City Watershed Agricultural Council for participation in their cost-share initiatives and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) requires TLC certification for working on State forest lands.

The TLC program was designed with the following objectives in mind:

To improve skills, productivity, safety, and abilities of timber harvesters
To help keep timber harvesters viable in New York
To increase the use of Best Management Practices for timber harvesting
To protect soil and water quality, as well as other ecosystem values during and after forest management operations
To address OSHA logging standards and requirements for employers
To attain potential cost reduction in insurance (Workman’s Compensation) premiums and/or increase the access to such insurance
To achieve increased public and government satisfaction with the quality of timber harvesting operations, and preclude unnecessary regulations

How do I Attain Trained Logger Certification (TLC)?

Your initial TLC designation requires the completion of three (3) "Core" training workshops and areas of knowledge and skills.

The “CORE” TLC training areas for initial TLC certification include:

Environmental Concerns: This requirement is met by completing the NYLT Forest Ecology & Silviculture workshop. Offered in each NYLT region, usually in the fall or spring as necessary. Contact the NYLT office to find the next workshop in your area ($25 administrative fee required for credit).
Chainsaw Operation, Safety, & Productivity: This requirement is met by completing the Game of Logging™ Level 1. Most NYLT Regions host a number of these workshops during the fall and spring. In addition, other organizations such as Catskill Forest Association, W.J. Cox, and others may also schedule the course. If taking a course not hosted by NYLT, participants are responsible for sending a copy of their course certificate to the NYLT office in order to receive credit ($25 administrative fee required for credit).
Adult First Aid & CPR: NYLT recognizes American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council certification as being valid for this requirement. Most NYLT Regions conduct these courses throughout the year. An individual may also obtain credit by attending standard First Aid or CPR classes sponsored by other organizations in their communities. If taking a course not hosted by NYLT, participants are responsible for sending a copy of their course certificate to the NYLT office in order to receive credit.
- Important: First Aid & CPR Certificates are valid for two years. You must retake an approved course every two years to maintain active TLC status. Also note: NYLT does not host these classes directly. Loggers must locate and register for an approved course independently.

Approved Providers of First Aid & CPR Training and Direct Links - Click provider links for classes near you.
- Regional YMCAs:
  - YMCA of Central NY
  - Norwich Family YMCA
  - Oneonta Family YMCA
  - YMCA of Greater Rochester
  - YMCA of Buffalo Niagara |
- Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC): WAC hosts an Adult First Aid and CPR class every spring and fall in Delaware County, NY specifically for loggers. Visit the WAC Logger Education page for upcoming dates.
- Nearby Community Colleges & Community Centers
- Local Fire Departments & Hospitals
- County Emergency Services Director: Emergency services personnel hold regular classes that frequently have open public spots.
  National Safety Council - Accepted Courses: First Aid, CPR & AED
Additional Ways to Find Local First Aid & CPR Classes
- American Heart Association - Accepted Courses: Heartsaver First Aid/CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS)
- American Red Cross - Accepted Courses: Adult First Aid/CPR/AED
- American Health & Safety Institute (HIS) Training Centers - Accepted Courses: Adult First Aid/CPR/AED

TLC training workshops, particularly core workshops, are supported and offered through NYLT and administered by the Empire State Forest Products Association (ESFPA), with a full slate of diverse offerings across the state concentrated in the fall and spring and published and distributed as schedules. NYLT also work regularly with several training partners, such as the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) in the Catskill region, or organizations offering First Aid & CPR training, with many of their regularly-scheduled workshops aligning with and counting toward these three core requirements.

NYLT Administrative 'Recording' Fee in Addition to Workshop/Training Fees for Non-ESFPA Members

The price of workshops vary; in fact, those supported by grants or hosted by training partners may be free. The pubished NYLT per workshop "price" includes instructional costs (paid instructor, mileage, materials, etc.) as well as a built-in $25 Administrative/Recording Fee that covers costs to ESFPA for registering, recording, and monitoring credits and participant progress toward TLC. This fee is waived for ESFPA members as a benefit of annual membership, and is reflected in a $25 reduction off the per workshop total price. Note: This administrative/recording fee is also applied to in-person workshops that are offered outside of the NYLT network of pre-approved courses.

Documentation of Course/Workshop Participation

All documentation must be received by the NYLT office, and any associated fees must be paid before a TLC certificate will be awarded. It is an individual’s responsibility to provide proof of completion of required classes to the NYLT office. TLC certificates are processed and sent on a monthly basis. Initial certification is valid for three (3) years from the date of issue. IMPORTANT: Please keep New York Logger Training informed of any change of address.

How do I Keep My TLC Status?

"3 Credits Over 3 Years" Continuing Education Requirements
Your first TLC is valid for three years. To maintain it, you’ll need to earn three (3) continuing education credits before it expires. You will also need to renew your First Aid & CPR certification every two years, and this refresher course counts as a half credit toward your 3 required credits. You can get credits by attending continuing education workshops or participate in NYLT pre-approved online workshops. We recommend completing one continuing education credit each year to stay ahead of the game.

Full-day workshops are worth one credit; half-day workshops are worth one half (.5) credit. Some webinars are worth .25 credit and take approximately one hour to complete. NYLT encourages individuals to participate in workshops that are of interest to them, or are most beneficial to their particular job. As examples, some topics eligible for Continuing Education Credits include:

Advanced levels (2, 3 & 4) of the Game of Logging™
BMP or Water Quality
Business and Management
Safety and Hazard Avoidance
Computer and Internet Understanding
Wildlife Habitat & Management
Timber grading/scaling/estimating/purchasing

NYLT constantly reviews courses offered by various partners and organizations for Continuing Education credits. To see if a course qualifies, send the course name, host/provider, and description (brochure) or agenda to the NYLT office. It is advised that approval for credits be done prior to course participation.

Each year NYLT schedules a limited number of Continuing Education courses. Contact the NYLT office if you need a fall or spring course calendar. Other organizations that schedule workshops that are pre-approved for NYLT Continuing Education credits include Northeastern Loggers Association, W.J. Cox Associates, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, and Catskill Forest Association. To receive credit for workshops not hosted by NYLT it is the individual’s responsibility to send proof of completion to the NYLT office.

How do I Re-Certify if My TLC Lapses?
If your TLC expires, a one-time immediate reinstatement of TLC is offered upon request. Your First Aid and CPR needs to be current and you need to have completed on Continuing Education credit in the last 6 months. Upon reinstatement you’ll have on year to complete the two additional Continuing Education credits. Once completed, the recertification is valid for three years.

Where Can I Find Third-Party Continuing Education (CE) Providers?

NYLT regularly reviews courses, events, and workshops offered by partner organizations for Continuing Education (CE) credits with attentiveness to minimizing costs for participation by leveraging the wide-variety of training already in place across the forestry industry to meet the programmatic requirements. This includes online training options vetted in advance and available through this website hub as well as in our published training schedules.

You Can Also Request We Review and Approve for Credits a Course or Event YOU Discovered

TLC participants may also meet core and continuing education requirements by completing workshops offered through other organizations they seek out on their own, subject to proof of course completion (participant responsibility), as well as review and final approval of NYLT curriculum committee. To ensure these courses "qualify" for TLC, pre-approval is encouraged as a best practice. Send the course name, host/provider, and agenda or brochure to NYLT prior to participating.

In-State Providers (New York)

Game of Logging Training Organizations
WJ Cox (Trust Fund Area Meetings)
Local Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM):
Your local Cornell Cooperative Extension Office

Out of State

NYLT accepts CE credits from out-of-state trainings. To receive credit, you must submit:
1. An agenda for NYLT approval prior to the training.
2. A certificate or letter of attendance after the training is complete.

Northern Tier Hardwood Association
Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
Connecticut Professional Timber Producers Association
Massachusetts Forest Alliance
Vermont Logger Education to Advance Professionalism (LEAP)
Northeastern Loggers’ Association
Northeast Professional Logging Contractor Trainings
Master Logger Workshops
You do not have to be a Master Logger to attend these workshops.

Online Trainings

TLC Certification allows up to 1 credit per renewal period to be completed online. A certificate of attendance or letter is required for all online training.

NYLT Pre-Approved On-Demand Webinars
Convenient online webinars offering credits for loggers seeking recertification at any level.
Note: Have your NYLT Logger ID ready when signing up (contact NYLT if you don't know it). Upon completion, you will receive an email certificate. For immediate credit, forward that email directly to NYLT; standard processing takes approximately 4 weeks.
Sign up for ForestConnect webinar notifications
An educational and applied research program supporting private woodland management. Offers regular webinars (registration required).
SUNY ESF Professional Development Webinars

Defensive Driving Course CE Information

Driving safely on the road is just as critical as safety on the landing or in the woods. To make maintaining your Trained Logger Certification (TLC) as convenient as possible, New York Logger Training accepts NY State DMV-approved Defensive Driving courses (online or in-person) for 1 CE credit. To get your CE credit:

Take the Course: Complete any New York State DMV-approved 6-hour Defensive Driving course (Point and Insurance Reduction Program / PIRP), online or in person.
Submit Your Certificate: Send a copy of your course completion certificate to NYLT via mail or email.
Earn Your Credit: Receive 1 CE credit applied directly toward your TLC renewal. You may apply a Defensive Driving course for 1 CE credit once every 3 years (within your TLC renewal cycle).

Bonus Benefit: In addition to earning your logger CE credit, completing a NYS-approved Defensive Driving course can reduce up to 4 points on your driving record and earn you a 10% auto insurance discount for 3 years!

Find a Defensive Driving course with one of the following organizations:

Can I get Continuing Education Credits before my Original TLC?

YES. But only one credit can be awarded, and the class must have been completed within 1 calendar year of the date the certificate is issued. Now you only need 2 more credits of Continuing Education before October 2006 to keep your TLC status current.

Who Keeps Track of All This Stuff, and What Does it Cost?

NYLT maintains the official database to track and verify each individual participating in the TLC program. Whenever you take a workshop hosted by NYLT, the administrative fees are included in the cost of the workshop, and the participant’s data is automatically updated. You will note ESFPA members pay a per workshop price that is $25 less than non-ESFPA members. That is because membership includes a waiving of the $25 Administrative/Recording Fee as a benefit. In many cases, membership pays for itself over time in the savings associated with these fee waivers.

Many seminars and workshops are NOT hosted by NYLT. Organizations like the Northeastern Loggers Assn., W.J. Cox, SUNY ESF, Watershed Agricultural Council, and Catskill Forest Association all host their own topical in-person workshops (in addition to hosting NYLT courses as well). For these classes, an individual must submit the certificate of completion, and a $25.00 administration fee, in order to receive Continuing Education credit.

Beginning July 1st, 2024, an administrative, 'recording fee' will be charged for any online courses taken outside of the New York Logger Training network. There will be a $10 fee per quarter credit / $25 for a full credit (4 total courses) taken within one calendar month. Loggers may take up to 1 credit in online courses per renewal (i.e., 2 credits must be in-person continuing education).

How Can I Check on My Status?

To find out what classes or credits you need, or when your certification expires, contact the NYLT Office. Course schedules and other info are online at www.newyorkloggertraining.org. Course schedules are released for the Spring and Fall seasons.