Foresters

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Life, Physical & Social Science
• O*NET-SOC code: 19-1032
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
• Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
• Plan and implement projects for conservation of wildlife habitats and soil and water quality.
• Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
• Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
• Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
• Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
• Map forest area soils and vegetation to estimate the amount of standing timber and future value and growth.
• Monitor forest-cleared lands to ensure that they are reclaimed to their most suitable end use.
• Develop techniques for measuring and identifying trees.
• Supervise activities of other forestry workers.
• Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.

Tools and technology

ESRI ArcGIS software, Geographic information system GIS systems, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, All-terrain vehicles ATV, Backpack sprayers, Brush chippers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Forest and Conservation Technicians
• Range Managers
• Conservation Scientists
• Forest and Conservation Workers
• Environmental Restoration Planners
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
• Soil and Plant Scientists
• Industrial Ecologists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Foresters — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.