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.

On the job, you would:

Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
Plan and implement projects for conservation of wildlife habitats and soil and water quality.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must be able to evaluate results from field tests and experiments to determine potential impacts on soil, forest lands, and the spread of fires.

Communication skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must convey information to firefighters, forest and conservation workers, landowners, and, sometimes, the public.

Critical-thinking skills. Conservation scientists and foresters use reasoning to reach conclusions and to determine improvements for forest conditions.

Management skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must be able to lead the forest and conservation workers and technicians they supervise.

Physical stamina. Conservation scientists and foresters may walk long distances in challenging terrain, such as steep or wooded areas, and may work in all kinds of weather conditions.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		87%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		82%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		81%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		74%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		72%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		72%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		72%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		72%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		71%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		68%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		68%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		67%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		66%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		62%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		55%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		52%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		95%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
		78%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		58%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		72%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		72%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		72%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		72%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		72%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		69%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		69%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		66%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		60%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		56%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		56%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		53%	Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		59%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		59%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		59%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		57%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		57%	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.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		54%	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
		54%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		54%	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.
		52%	Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Assess compliance with environmental laws.

Develop plans to manage natural or renewable resources.

Manage agricultural or forestry operations.

Cultivate land.

Develop plans to manage natural or renewable resources.

Manage agricultural or forestry operations.

Determine methods to minimize environmental impact of activities.

Research crop management methods.

Monitor environmental impacts of production or development activities.

Plan natural resources conservation or restoration programs.

Plan environmental research.

Direct natural resources management or conservation programs.

Inspect condition of natural environments.

Measure environmental characteristics.

Develop educational programs.

Develop plans to manage natural or renewable resources.

Monitor environmental impacts of production or development activities.

Manage agricultural or forestry operations.

Advise others about environmental management or conservation.

Conduct research of processes in natural or industrial ecosystems.

Develop agricultural methods.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		95%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		95%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		91%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		87%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		86%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		85%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		84%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		78%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		76%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		76%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		74%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		73%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		72%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		67%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		64%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		61%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		60%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		59%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		59%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		56%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		55%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		53%	Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
		53%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		52%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		65%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		87%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		84%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		84%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		83%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		81%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		81%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		78%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		78%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		78%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		78%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		76%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		76%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		74%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		73%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		72%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		71%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		71%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		71%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		69%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		69%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		69%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		68%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		68%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		67%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		65%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		62%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		62%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		62%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		62%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		57%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		53%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		52%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		51%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

What Conservation Scientists and Foresters Do

Conservation scientists and foresters study forest and soil quality.

Conservation scientists and foresters manage the land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources.

Duties

Conservation scientists and foresters typically do the following:

Oversee conservation and forestry activities to ensure compliance with government regulations and protection of habitats
Negotiate terms and conditions for contracts related to forest harvesting or land use
Establish plans for managing forest lands and resources
Choose and prepare sites for new trees, using controlled burning, bulldozers, or herbicides to clear land
Monitor forest-cleared lands and forest regeneration
Direct and participate in forest fire suppression
Work with private landowners, governments, farmers, and others to remove timber or improve land with minimal environmental damage

Conservation scientists and foresters evaluate data on forest and soil quality, assessing damage to trees and forest lands caused by fires and logging activities. In addition, they lead activities such as suppressing fires and planting seedlings. Fire-suppression activities include measuring the speed at which fires spread and the success of planned suppression.

Conservation scientists and foresters use a variety of tools and equipment. For example, they use clinometers to measure tree height, diameter tapes to measure tree circumference, and increment borers and bark gauges to measure tree growth for calculating timber volume and estimating growth rates. They also may use drones, aerial photographs, satellite images, and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to map large forest or range areas.

Conservation scientists manage, improve, and protect natural resources. They work with private landowners and federal, state, and local governments to find ways to use and improve the land while safeguarding the environment. They also advise farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers on ways to improve land while safeguarding the environment.

The following are examples of types of conservation scientists:

Conservation land managers work for land trusts or other conservation organizations to protect the wildlife habitats, biodiversity, scenic value, and other specific attributes of preserves and conservation lands.

Range managers, also called range conservationists, protect grazing lands to maximize their use without harming the environment. Rangelands contain many natural resources and cover millions of acres in the United States. Range managers may catalog animals, plants, and soils; develop resource management plans; help to restore ecosystems; or help oversee a ranch. They also maintain soil stability and vegetation for wildlife habitats, outdoor recreation, and other uses. Like foresters, range managers work to prevent and reduce wildfires and invasive species.

Soil and water conservationists give technical help in managing concerns related to soil and water. They develop programs to help landowners make their land productive without causing damage. They also help landowners and governments by advising on water quality, preserving water supplies, and handling erosion.

Foresters’ responsibilities vary by employer. Their duties may include creating plans to regenerate forested lands, monitoring the progress of reforested lands, and supervising tree harvests. They also design plans to keep forests free from disease, harmful insects, and damaging wildfires. Foresters may direct the work of forest and conservation workers and technicians.

The following are examples of types of foresters:

Procurement foresters contact, negotiate with, and buy timber from local forest owners. Procurement typically requires taking inventory on the type, amount, and location of a property’s standing timber. Procurement foresters then appraise the timber’s worth, negotiate its purchase, and draw up a contract for purchase and removal. After the contract is in place, these foresters usually subcontract with loggers or pulpwood cutters to fell trees and to help lay out roads for removing the timber.

Urban foresters live and work in cities and manage the trees. These workers focus on issues related to urban wellbeing, including air quality, shade, and storm water runoff.

Conservation education foresters train teachers and students about issues facing forest lands.

Work Environment

Conservation scientists held about 24,700 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of conservation scientists were as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service	31%
State government, excluding education and hospitals	22
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	18
Social advocacy organizations	14
Professional, scientific, and technical services	6

Foresters held about 11,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of foresters were as follows:

State government, excluding education and hospitals	27%
Federal government, excluding postal service	12
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	12
Support activities for agriculture and forestry	11
Forestry and logging	5

Conservation scientists and foresters typically work in offices, in laboratories, and outdoors, sometimes traveling to remote locations. When visiting or working near logging operations or wood yards, they wear a hardhat and other protective gear to guard against injury. They also wear protective gear for activities related to fire suppression, which may include prevention or emergency response. Insect bites, poisonous plants, and other natural hazards also present some risk.

The work can be physically demanding. Some conservation scientists and foresters work outdoors in all types of weather. They may need to walk long distances through dense trees or plant growth.

Work Schedules

Most conservation scientists and foresters work full time, and schedules may vary to include weekends. Some work more than 40 hours per week, such as when traveling to remote locations.

Getting Started

Education:

84%

Bachelor's Degree

13%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

How to Become a Conservation Scientist or Forester

Conservation scientists and foresters typically need a bachelor’s degree in forestry or a related field.

Conservation scientists and foresters typically need a bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, or a related field.

Education

To enter their occupation, conservation scientists and foresters typically need a bachelor's degree in forestry, natural resources, or a related subject, such as agriculture or biology.

Bachelor’s degree programs in forestry and related fields typically include courses in biology, ecology, and forest measurement. Conservation scientists and foresters also typically have a background in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, remote sensing, and other forms of computer modeling.

The Society of American Foresters accredits academic programs in forestry, urban forestry, and natural resources and ecosystem management.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Several states may require some type of credentialing process for conservation scientists and foresters. In some of these states, conservation scientists and foresters must be licensed; check with your state licensing board for more information.

Some conservation scientists and foresters earn optional certification related to their area of work. For example, the Society of American Foresters (SAF) offers forester certification to candidates who have at least a bachelor’s degree from a SAF-accredited or equivalent forestry program, professional experience, and passed an exam.

The Society for Range Management offers certification in rangeland management or as a range management consultant to candidates who have a bachelor's degree in range management of a related field, related work experience, and passed an exam.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of conservation scientists and foresters is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 3,000 openings for conservation scientists and foresters are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Changing weather conditions and the development of unused land have contributed to a rise in wildfires. Preventing and suppressing these fires have become the primary concerns for managing forests and rangelands. In addition, with the increasing numbers of forest fires and of people who live on or near forest lands, foresters and conservation scientists will be needed to mitigate growing humanitarian and environmental impacts of forest fires.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about conservation scientists and foresters, including schools offering education in forestry, visit

Society of American Foresters (SAF)

For information about careers in forestry, particularly conservation forestry and land management, visit

Forest Stewards Guild

Society for Range Management (SRM)

U.S. Forest Service

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of conservation scientists and foresters.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Agricultural and Food Scientists	Agricultural and food scientists research ways to improve the efficiency and safety of agricultural establishments and products.	Bachelor's degree	$74,940
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians	Environmental science and protection technicians monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution and contamination.	Associate's degree	$48,380
Firefighters	Firefighters control and put out fires and respond to emergencies involving life, property, or the environment.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$51,680
Forest and Conservation Workers	Forest and conservation workers perform physical labor to improve the quality of natural areas such as forests, rangelands, and wetlands.	High school diploma or equivalent	$32,270
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists	Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals, those both in captivity and in the wild, and how they interact with their ecosystems.	Bachelor's degree	$67,430

Foresters

Conservation Scientist or Forester

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Conservation Scientists and Foresters Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a Conservation Scientist or Forester

Education

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations