Chainsaw Skills for Land Stewardship
Two Days of Hands-On Training for Safer, Fire-Resilient Land
Instructor: Nico Garvin
November 14 & 15, 2026
8:00am - 4:00pm
Nevada City, CA
A hands-on weekend for learning how to use a chainsaw safely and confidently, with a focus on tending land and reducing wildfire risk.
Whether you’re brand new to a chainsaw or ready to build your skills, you’ll receive practical instruction and plenty of supervised practice while learning how thoughtful cutting, clearing, and land management can support a more fire-resilient landscape.
Class size is limited to 10 participants so everyone has plenty of opportunity for individual attention, questions, and hands-on practice.
Each day includes approximately 7 hours of instruction and practice, with a one-hour lunch break.
Investment:
$100 for 1 Day (Nov 14 or 15)
$175 for 2 Days (Nov 14 & 15)
Day 1: Beginner Chainsaw Skills
No previous chainsaw experience required.
Learn the foundations of safe and effective chainsaw use:
Get to know your saw, its parts, chains, and two-stroke engine
Basic chainsaw care and maintenance
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Safely starting and handling your saw
Body positioning and safe cutting techniques
Understanding bind, tension, and compression
Different types of cuts and common mistakes to avoid
Hands-on practice cutting small-diameter trees and brush
Fire mitigation basics: what to clear, what to keep, and how fire moves through a landscape
Day 2: Intermediate Chainsaw Skills
For people who already have basic chainsaw experience or have completed Day 1.
We’ll build on the fundamentals with:
Review of bind and cutting techniques
Hazards and cautions when bucking logs on the ground
Introduction to the principles of tree felling
Continued fire mitigation and land-tending principles
Hands-on cutting practice
Large-tree felling demonstration by Nico
Practicing felling cuts on tall stumps, allowing you to develop the technique in a safer, controlled setting
Important: This Is Not a Tree-Felling Course: Participants will not be felling standing trees during this workshop. If you’re looking for hands-on tree-felling instruction, Nico is available for private lessons.
Each participant must bring:
Their own chainsaw (motor or electric)
Chainsaw chaps
Work gloves
Sturdy boots
Eye protection
Hearing protection
Appropriate outdoor layers
Lunch and water
Pricing & Registration
One day: $100
Both days: $175
Day 1 can be taken on its own. Day 2 is intended for participants with previous chainsaw experience or those attending Day 1.
Come away with more confidence using your chainsaw, a better understanding of how to work safely, and practical skills for tending your land with wildfire resilience in mind.
Nico Garvin — Workshop Instructor
Nico Garvin is a professional sawyer with 18 years of hands-on experience in chainsaw work, tree assessment, and forest management. His background spans fire mitigation, wildland firefighting, dangerous tree removal, and mobile sawmilling.
Teaching Background
After years leading crews in high-stakes environments—from initial attack firefighting in British Columbia to managing a small team on complex milling operations. Nico has honed the ability to teach practical skills clearly and safely, building confidence alongside competence. His teaching style is grounded, approachable, and hands-on, helping people develop not only the skills to use tools safely, but the confidence to put those skills into practice.
What He Brings to the Workshop
Nico teaches chainsaw literacy, safety protocols, and proper cutting techniques grounded in real-world experience. But beyond the saw itself, he teaches fire mitigation through forest tending—how to assess your land, make sound decisions about which trees to remove, and actively reduce fire risk on your property.
This workshop isn't theoretical. Every lesson comes from a decade of professional work in the woods, solving real problems with real trees.