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Introduction to Forest Composition and Structure

NRTG’s MicroCourses offer flexible, targeted training to build practical, real-world skills. Introduction to Forest Composition and Structure provides a foundational understanding of how forests are organized, how they function, and why those dynamics matter for forest management and ecosystem health. 

Forests are more than just a collection of trees, they are diverse, living systems shaped by structure, function, and change over time. This course explores how tree communities are grouped and classified, including age and development class, seral stage, regeneration methods, and species composition. You’ll gain insight into how these classifications relate to ecosystem function, forest health, and natural processes such as regeneration, growth, and disturbance. 

The course also introduces the other biotic and abiotic components of forests such as soils, climate, wildlife, and more – that contribute to the complexity of forest ecosystems. Real-world examples and practical scenarios help learners “see the forest among the trees,” with a strong emphasis on understanding how structure and function are inseparable in healthy forest systems. 

This course lays the groundwork for more advanced topics such as forest health, disturbance ecology, and site classification. It is ideal for natural resource professionals, technicians, biologists, land managers, woodlot owners, and outdoor enthusiasts who want to better understand forest ecosystems from the ground up. 

Learners new to tree identification are encouraged to complete the Applied Tree Identification MicroCourse (or equivalent experience) before taking this course. 

Key Learning Outcomes: 

  • Distinguish between a tree, stand, forest, and landscape 
  • Understand how and why trees are grouped and classified 
  • Recognize key biotic and abiotic components of forest ecosystems 
  • Explore how forest structure shapes ecosystem function 
  • Build transferable skills that support further learning in forest health, site factors, and dynamics 

Format: 2 x 2-hour sessions.

Instructor Profile 

Scott Maston BScF, RPF 

Hi, I’m Scott Maston, a Registered Professional Forester.  I was born and raised in Nova Scotia, later attending the University of New Brunswick and obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry (Forest/Wildlife Management) with Honours in 1987.   

Since then I have spent most of my nearly 40 years career working  in Nova Scotia in several roles: with woodlot owners’ groups, as a business owner and forester of a consulting and contracting company, a forest ecosystem research professional for the provincial government , and most recently with a not-for-profit group that administers province-wide silviculture and woodlot management assistance and training programs.  

My core professional assets include:  

  • Forest management/silviculture planning and operations, 
  • Forest management/silviculture certification and auditing, 
  • Forest ecosystem classification, ecosystem and natural disturbance research, 
  • Landscape-level planning (strategic planning processes and implementation/evaluation procedures),   
  • Applying research to practical operational procedures for both ecosystem-based management and intensive management regimes, 
  • Professional and technical training. 

I love to travel and use it to broaden my love and understanding of forest ecosystems and dynamic processes. 

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