Are you ready to launch or expand your forest-based business? Join Sierra Business Council and Sierra Commons for tuition-free bootcamps designed to help entrepreneurs build sustainable forest-based businesses and wood product enterprises.
Calling all Forest Entrepreneurs!
Take advantage of a new opportunity to advance your career and build resilient communities.
Intro to Forest Entrepreneurship
Build a Strong Foundation
The Intro to Forest Entrepreneurship bootcamp provides a comprehensive foundation in business fundamentals, equipping participants with the tools to launch and manage a successful forest-based enterprise. Over two intensive days, you’ll dive into key topics such as entity selection, pricing, cash flow, insurance, marketing, competitive analysis, and an overview of government contracting and permitting.
Courses are in-person in a Northern California region near you. And if you can’t make it live, sign up for a virtual session scheduled for July.
Intro Registration
April 2025
🌲 Nevada City
04/25 (Fri) 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
04/26 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 1/2)
04/27 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
May 2025
🌲 Eureka
05/02 (Fri) 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
05/03 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 1/2)
05/04 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
June 2025
🌲 South Lake Tahoe
06/06 (Fri) 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
06/07 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 1/2)
06/08 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
🌲 Santa Cruz
06/27 (Fri) 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
06/28 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 1/2)
06/29 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
July 2025
🌲💻 Virtual
07/12 (Sat) - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Day 1/2)
07/13 (Sun) - 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
Advanced Forest Entrepreneurship: Scale and Grow Your Business
The Advanced Forest Entrepreneurship weekend bootcamp is designed for those ready to take their business to the next level. Participants will explore financing strategies, business growth and scaling, step-by-step government contracting, subcontracting, workforce development, and industry trends to position their businesses for long-term success. With a focus on sustainable expansion, collaboration, and emerging market opportunities, this course provides the insights and resources needed to scale operations, secure funding, and strengthen business resilience in the evolving forestry sector.
We recommend you take the Intro course before taking the Advanced course, but it is not a requirement.
Advanced Registration
May 2025
🌳Sonora
05/16 (Fri) - 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
05/17 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Day 1/2)
05/18 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
July 2025
🌳💻Virtual
07/26 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Day 1/2)
07/27 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
October 2025
🌳Auburn
10/24 (Fri) - 5:30 – 7:30 PM - Social
10/25 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Day 1/2)
10/26 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
November 2025
🌳Eureka
11/01 (Sat) - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Day 1/2)
11/02 (Sun) - 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Day 2/2)
Build a Thriving Forest Business!
With increasing pressure on our forests from climate change and wildfires, the demand for innovative, land-based businesses is growing every year. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your existing business, this course provides the skills, connections, and resources you need to succeed.
This program is tailored for businesses in forest thinning and management, defensible space, prescribed fire application, timber product manufacturing, small-diameter timber utilization, biofuel, bioenergy, home hardening, plant restoration, and forestry logistics.
This is more than a course—it’s a launchpad for success in an industry that’s vital to the future of our forests and rural communities.
Funding for this program was provided by a Good Jobs Challenge EDA-funded grant through the Foundation for California Community Colleges to conduct forestry and fire-mitigation training programs in the Sierra Nevada region of northeastern California.