The College of Forestry (CF) was founded in 1952 as the Department of Forestry. It was renamed in 1956, established as the College of Forest Resources and Environment in 1993, and changed its name to CF in 2003. Over the past 70 years, four independent colleges and one important open laboratory of the Ministry of Education have been established. Additionally, Mao’ershan Experimental Forest Farm and Harbin Experimental Forest Farm (the predecessor of the "Urban Forestry Demonstration Base") were associated with the original forestry department during its early years (1956-1968). The National Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University) is affiliated with the CF.

The CF is the most distinguished and unique research college at Northeast Forestry University, boasting the longest history, the strongest faculty, and the most comprehensive platform system. For many years, CF has focused on enhancing China’s forestry and ecological environment, emphasizing the simultaneous development of the “five educations” and the integration of science and education. It has consistently nurtured high-quality, innovative talents for production, application, forestry management, and scientific research in forestry and ecological environment development. Over the past 70 years, driven by its mission and a diligent, entrepreneurial spirit, CF has made significant contributions to the progress of forestry and education in China through the unwavering efforts of several generations.

Currently, the CF has four teaching organizations: the Department of Forestry, the Department of Forest Protection, the Department of Forest Resources Management, and the Department of Environmental Science. It offers a national key discipline in forestry at the doctoral level and a discipline in environmental science and engineering at the master’s level. In 2017, the forestry discipline was included in the national “Double First-Class” construction disciplines. In 2022, it was selected once more as a world-class construction discipline.

The college actively develops academic exchanges and international cooperation with the United States, Canada, and other countries while fostering opportunities for overseas students. It establishes strong academic partnerships, facilitates expert visits, and nurtures cooperative research relationships with relevant universities and research institutions in nearly 30 countries. In conjunction with the new round of “Double First-Class” construction, the college will continue to promote comprehensive cooperation and exchanges with internationally renowned universities, such as the University of British Columbia, the University of Helsinki, and other prestigious institutions, aiming to enhance the college’s international education standards.

In the context of higher education’s shift from extensional to connotative development, with quality improvement at its core, the college will continue to prioritize moral education as its foundation, professional growth as its basis, discipline development as a guiding principle, quality training as an objective, and technological innovation as a key focus. It will courageously embrace this mission, forge ahead with determination, and continually create new achievements in establishing a first-class, internationally and domestically renowned academic institution.