Forester

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Work Tasks

• Help protect forests, trees, wildlife, and water from fires, insects, and disease
• Talk to forest owners and get their okay to cut down trees; make contracts for buying the timber
• Get people to remove trees, decide where roads should go, and protect surrounding areas
• Plant new trees, design campgrounds, and teach others about nature
• Understand environmental laws
• Work outdoors and indoors for the government, forest industry, logging companies, sawmills, research and testing services, and consulting firms
• Use aerial photos, satellite data, remote sensing devices, tree measuring tools, maps, and computers

Salary, Size & Growth

• $59,000 average per year ($28.25 per hour)
• A small occupation (9,500 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.2% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree in forestry
• Employers Prefer: Foresters who wish to do research or teach should have a Ph.D.
• Skills/Courses: College courses include ecology, biology, tree physiology, taxonomy, forest inventory, wildlife habitat, land surveying, GPS technology, forest management, communications, math, statistics, and computer science.
• Licensing/Certification: Some states require a Professional Forester license. This requires a 4-year degree in forestry, training, and passing a test.