Forest and Conservation Technicians

• Manage forest protection activities, including fire control, fire crew training, and coordination of fire detection and public education programs.
• Train and lead forest and conservation workers in seasonal activities, such as planting tree seedlings, putting out forest fires, and maintaining recreational facilities.
• Survey, measure, and map access roads and forest areas such as burns, cut-over areas, experimental plots, and timber sales sections.
• Select and mark trees for thinning or logging, drawing detailed plans that include access roads.
• Provide information about, and enforce, regulations such as those concerning environmental protection, resource utilization, fire safety and accident prevention.
• Supervise forest nursery operations, timber harvesting, land use activities such as livestock grazing, and disease or insect control programs.
• Monitor activities of logging companies and contractors.
• Patrol park or forest areas to protect resources and prevent damage.
• Thin and space trees and control weeds and undergrowth, using manual tools and chemicals, or supervise workers performing these tasks.
• Develop and maintain computer databases.
• Plan and supervise construction of access routes and forest roads.
• Provide forestry education and general information, advice, and recommendations to woodlot owners, community organizations, and the general public.
• Perform reforestation or forest renewal, including nursery and silviculture operations, site preparation, seeding and tree planting programs, cone collection, and tree improvement.
• Issue fire permits, timber permits, and other forest use licenses.
• Provide technical support to forestry research programs in areas such as tree improvement, seed orchard operations, insect and disease surveys, or experimental forestry and forest engineering research.
• Measure distances, clean sightlines, and record data to help survey crews.
• Inspect trees and collect samples of plants, seeds, foliage, bark and roots to locate insect and disease damage.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Forest and Conservation Technicians.

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Forest and Conservation Technicians.