Fresh Profile: Forestry Jobs

Published on 2008-07-30

As this generation faces a growing number of critical environmental issues, concerned individuals can choose a career in forestry in an effort to make a difference. According to the Society of American Foresters (SAF), forestry jobs focus on "caring for trees, soils, water, wildlife, and other forest benefits, both for now and for future generations." A forester spends most of his/her time working outdoors, conducting research in a laboratory, and dealing with the public. General duties include drawing up plans to grow trees, monitoring their progress, and managing the harvests.

Foresters can choose from a wide selection of career opportunities. Forest managers or consultants grow trees for forest products. Their responsibilities include protecting the forest from fire, insects and disease; planning and overseeing recreation; and planning and supervising timber sales. A forester working for a forest product company deals with the production and sales of a variety of products. He/she buys timber from local forest owners and negotiates contracts. He/she then subcontracts the timber with loggers or pulpwood cutters. Such foresters also make sure that federal, state and local environmental requirements are met. Urban jobs in forestry involve managing the trees within a city for both practical and aesthetic reasons.

To be eligible for a professional position in forestry, a student must earn a bachelor's degree in forestry, biology or a related field. SAF offers a list of accredited schools. Certain states have specific licensing or registration guidelines that must be met. Forestry programs merge technical and scientific classes with training in policy and economics, quantitative methods, and communications.

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of all professional foresters in 2006 had government jobs. Government employers include the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Park Service, and branches of the military. A forester working for the state or federal government would be responsible for managing the public forests and parks. Forestry jobs in Georgia, for example, could include working in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. About 25% of foresters work in the wood industry, and the rest work in education, consulting or related fields. In the education sector, a forester may be employed by a college or university as a teacher, researcher or manager. For example, Oregon forestry jobs in education can be found at Oregon State University, which has departments in forest engineering, forest science and wood science, and engineering.

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