Applicants may use reference material that has been approved in advance, and that is provided at the testing site. If you are not certain whether one of your references is acceptable, be certain to check with the exam administrator prior to the exam.  Approved reference material includes: a BMP manual, professionally-bound books, professionally-prepared notebooks from short courses, pages from professional forestry web pages, college course packs prepared by the professor, and a non-programmable calculator. Formulas and the various tables used by foresters will not be provided; be certain to include them among your references. Most applicants bring about 25 books and references carried in a cardboard box or plastic tub.  The pass-rate for people attempting the Level 2 Exam for the first time is 50-60 percent.

 

Each exam is 4 hours long, given in 2 sections separated by a 30-minute break.  Applicants who want to leave the examination room may leave ONLY between sections, so be sure to take restroom break prior to sitting down for each section. Applicants may bring only writing utensils, an eraser, and a nonprogrammable calculator. Programmable calculators, laptop computers, pagers, cell phones, all other electronic devices, and loose/scratch paper of all types are not permitted in the examination room. Since these items are prohibited in the exam room, you shall not answer pagers or telephones during the examination. You may not share calculators or references during the examination.  The registration examination shall not be copied or recorded in any manner. Exam questions shall not be discussed with anyone except a current Registration Board member before, during, or after the examination. By submitting a signed application, applicants are subject to the Board of Registration Code of Ethics.  Violation of exam rules or procedures may result in failing score on the exam and loss of registration.

 

A score of 70 percent or higher is required to pass either examination.

 

The range of questions is broad and covers any material included in forestry and forestry-related courses. The following critically important subject areas are always covered: mensuration, management, silviculture, dendrology, silvics/physiology, genetics, soils, economics, entomology, pathology, fire, and wood anatomy.

Some questions test knowledge of basic facts, and others test the application of knowledge. Most questions will be short answer, the completion of charts, or mathematical calculations. A few questions will be multiple choice or identification of figures or samples.

 

Answers will be graded strictly and carefully, and reviewed by the entire Board. Partial credit will be awarded when appropriate. Your answers should be complete and well-presented, reflecting the professional recognition you seek. Short answers do not need to be written in complete sentences, but longer answers should be written in complete sentences. Content and style (including spelling) are both considered in grading. Answers to essays must demonstrate in-depth understanding of the material. Full credit will not be awarded to vague charts, diagrams without labels, graphs without labeled axes, or quotes copied from books without explanation. For full credit, answers to mathematical problems must include the basic formula and show at least one intermediate step. You should demonstrate that you understand the calculation, not just which calculator button to push.