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Foresters
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.
Other titles employers use
Area Forester · District Forester · Fire Prevention Forester · Forest Practices Field Coordinator · Forester · Procurement Forester · Service Forester · Silviculturist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, analytical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Biology
- Law and Government
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.0 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.9 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 84%
- A two-year degree 13%
- A certificate or some college 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Geographic information system
- Electronic mail software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 1,000
- Job openings each year
- 90
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- —
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,000 | 90 | — |
| Washington | 830 | 70 | 5.1% |
| Texas | 610 | 60 | 35.6% |
| Wisconsin | 580 | 50 | 1.8% |
| Michigan | 510 | 40 | — |
| Oregon | 460 | 40 | 4.5% |
| Virginia | 400 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Minnesota | 390 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 350 | 30 | 2.9% |
| Georgia | 320 | 30 | 3.2% |
| Illinois | 290 | 20 | 3.6% |
| Colorado | 280 | 20 | 12.0% |
| Florida | 280 | 20 | 3.7% |
| North Carolina | 280 | 20 | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 270 | 20 | 3.8% |
| South Carolina | 250 | 20 | 4.2% |
| Alabama | 240 | 20 | — |
| Arkansas | 240 | 20 | — |
| Missouri | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| Montana | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Mississippi | 180 | 10 | — |
| South Dakota | 180 | 10 | — |
| Massachusetts | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Indiana | 150 | 10 | 7.1% |
| Ohio | 150 | 10 | — |
| Tennessee | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| West Virginia | 130 | 10 | — |
| Kentucky | 120 | 10 | — |
| Maryland | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| New Hampshire | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Alaska | 100 | 10 | — |
| Arizona | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Maine | 80 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 70 | 10 | — |
| Iowa | 60 | 10 | — |
| Louisiana | 60 | 10 | — |
| New Mexico | 60 | 0 | — |
| Wyoming | 60 | 10 | — |
| Connecticut | 50 | 0 | — |
| Nebraska | 30 | 0 | — |
| Nevada | 30 | 0 | — |
| New Jersey | 30 | 0 | — |
| North Dakota | 30 | 0 | — |
| Delaware | 10 | 0 | — |
| Virgin Islands | 10 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Degrees each year
- 221
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Degrees each year
- 130
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
University of California-Berkeley
- Degrees each year
- 471
- Admit rate
- 12%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 504
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Degrees each year
- 131
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- Degrees each year
- 175
- Admit rate
- 30%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
- Degrees each year
- 164
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of Vermont
- Degrees each year
- 269
- Admit rate
- 60%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000