Cornell Cooperative Extension to Host Chainsaw Safety Classes in 2026

Wed, 02/04/2026 - 9:04am -- CSMaxwell

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County will host chainsaw safety classes this spring with hands on training and certification through Game of Logging.  Registration now open!

Chainsaw Safety Certification courses are returning to Cattaraugus County in 2026! Training will be conducted by Bill Lindloff’s ProCuts through Game of Logging and hosted by CCE Cattaraugus. Each class is a full day of hands-on experience and will be held at the Pierce Whitney Forest in Machias, NY. Participants select one of the 2 days offered at LEVEL 1. 

Level 1 will focus on basic maintenance for chainsaw users and focus on safe felling, notching and bore-cut methods for property management/tree removal as well as properly cutting a tree under tension, limbing and bucking and other techniques for handling a tree in less-than-ideal situations. Participants will perform various cuts and notches and take down trees.

Tyler Paar, who attended previous sessions, states, “I attended the Game of Logging Levels I & II trainings with Bill Lindloff’s ProCuts hosted by Cattaraugus County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Lindloff was a great trainer who provided every participant with hands-on training experience felling live, standing trees. Lindloff also took the time to have each member take chainsaw apart, service, and put chainsaw back together properly and demonstrated how to sharpen the chain by hand, extending its lifespan. By learning proper felling techniques, I feel that I am a safer and more confident woodsman. The knowledge I acquired from these trainings I have applied in my professional career where I work as a District Technician with the Cattaraugus County Soil & Water Conservation District and my personal life as I frequently spend time in the woods cutting firewood, cleaning trails, and being a steward of the land. I can confidently say that Cattaraugus County Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Game of Logging training with Bill Lindloff was the most informative, hands-on educational courses I have taken in my career thus far. I look forward to taking advanced level classes. I would recommend any woodsman to attend these trainings.”

Descriptions of each class can be found on the CCE website along with registration information. All classes are open to the public and are appropriate for wood lot owners, people who use chainsaws through their work and volunteers who assist in clean-up projects. 

Registration is open to the public through Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County. If you are interested in participating or would like to find out more, visit the website. Registration for each day is $170.00 per day/per participant. Participants are required to wear protective equipment and provide their own lunch during each course.

Signup for the Ag Newsletter

Get the freshest farm news, events and updates from in and around Cattaraugus County, NY at least once a month! Go signup!

Other ways to stay connected:

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus Counties ... putting knowledge to work