Foresters

land environmental impact realistic interests inventory timber plan new tree information optimal harvesting schedule direct natural resource management

Area Forester, Procurement Forester, Silviculturist, Urban Forester

What they do:
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:
  • 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.

Knowledge

Math and Science

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

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • management
  • customer service

Safety and Government

  • law and government

Skills

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • 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

  • communicate by speaking
  • communicate by writing

Ideas and Logic

  • group things in different ways
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information

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 practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Leadership Orientation
  • Cautiousness
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Perseverance

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 In Demand

Electronic mail software

  • IBM Notes
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 4)
bachelor's degree or
associate's degree or other 2-year degree
usually needed

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Job Outlook

Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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