A professional forestry training school in La Tuque, Quebec, offering forestry programs and adult general education.
Professional forestry training at the school began in September 1967 with the forest ranger course, now called Aménagement de la forêt. The Conservation de la faune program, now called Protection et exploitation de territoires fauniques, was added in 1976. During the 1996-1997 year, the timber harvesting program, now named Abattage manuel et débardage forestier, was added. In 1998, when school boards merged, the school was given the mandate for adult general education.
The school offers professional training programs including Élagage, Conduite de machinerie lourde en voirie forestière, Protection et exploitation de territoires fauniques, Aménagement de la forêt, and Abattage manuel et débardage forestier. Adult general education courses help adults complete secondary-level units, and students may attend full-time or part-time, during the day, according to their individual training profile. The school's stated focus includes offering the population of Haut Saint-Maurice access to quality training that supports regional development.
The school is situated in mixed forest, giving students experience of both hardwood and softwood forest. Its teaching and research forest, Forêt d'enseignement et de recherche Mailhot, covers 1692 hectares and is located 7 km from the centre of La Tuque. The teaching forest site has classrooms with high-speed internet, a mechanical garage, and a dining room, located near a lake. The site also includes the FabLab Wawacte.
Research projects and research setups are installed at the teaching forest to improve practices in the forestry field. One listed project evaluates the long-term effects of biomass harvesting on soil fertility and stand growth after cutting.