Conservation Scientists

plan information water realistic interests agricultural production environment crop rotation soil management contour plowing environmental data

Conservationist, Land Resource Specialist, Research Soil Scientist, Resource Conservationist

What they do:
Manage, improve, and protect natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment. May conduct soil surveys and develop plans to eliminate soil erosion or to protect rangelands. May instruct farmers, agricultural production managers, or ranchers in best ways to use crop rotation, contour plowing, or terracing to conserve soil and water; in the number and kind of livestock and forage plants best suited to particular ranges; and in range and farm improvements, such as fencing and reservoirs for stock watering.
On the job, you would:
  • Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.
  • Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water.
  • Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.

Knowledge

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • biology
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Safety and Government

  • law and government

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • read and understand what is written

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • order or arrange things

Math

  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem

Visual Understanding

  • see hidden patterns

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Initiative
  • Independence

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Geographic information system

  • ESRI ArcGIS software Hot Technology In Demand
  • Geographic information system GIS software

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology

Analytical or scientific software

  • Clover Technology GALENA
  • WinEPIC

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about conservation scientists.