Foresters
Manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine optimal harvesting schedules.
- Overview
- Tasks
- Skills
Median Annual Wage: $57,980
Education: Bachelor's degree (79%); Associate's degree (7%); Post-secondary certificate (6%)
Projected Growth: Slower than average (3% to 7%)
Related Job Titles: Forester; Area Forester; Fire Prevention Forester; Chief Unit Forester; Environmental Protection Forester; Regional Forester; Resource Forester; Urban Forester; Forest Practices Field Coordinator; Silviculturist
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Foresters.
- Plan and supervise forestry projects, such as determining the type, number and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, thinning forest and monitoring growth of new seedlings.
- Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
- Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
- Supervise activities of other forestry workers.
- Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
- Direct, and participate in, forest fire suppression.
- Choose and prepare sites for new trees, using controlled burning, bulldozers, or herbicides to clear weeds, brush, and logging debris.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Foresters.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- 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.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Foresters.
