What Conservation Scientists and Foresters Do

Conservation scientists and foresters manage the overall land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources.

Work Environment

Conservation scientists and foresters work for governments (federal, state, or local), on privately owned lands, or in social advocacy organizations.

How to Become a Conservation Scientist or Forester

Conservation scientists and foresters typically need a bachelor’s degree in forestry or a related field. 

Job Outlook

Employment of conservation scientists and foresters is projected to grow 7 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Heightened demand for American timber and wood pellets will help increase the overall job prospects for conservation scientists and foresters.

Growth & Trends

This occupation supported 34,100 jobs in 2012 and 36,600 jobs in 2014, reflecting an increase of 7.3%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 2.9% in 2022 to 35,100 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 34,300, compared with an observed value of 36,600, 6.7% higher than expected. This indicates current employment trends are much better than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 7.9% in 2024 to 39,300 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 35,300 jobs for 2024, 10.2% lower than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much better than the 2012 trend within this occupation.

Foresters Employment and Labor Information 2023

Foresters Employment Brief:

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.

Foresters Job Description

Here is a Job Description an employer might post for potential Foresters.

Foresters Responsibilities and Duties:

• Contact local forest owners and gain permission to take inventory of the type, amount, and location of all standing timber on the property.
• Conduct public educational programs on forest care and conservation.
• Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
• Choose and prepare sites for new trees, using controlled burning, bulldozers, or herbicides to clear weeds, brush, and logging debris.
• Monitor wildlife populations and assess the impacts of forest operations on population and habitats.
• Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
• Provide advice and recommendations, as a consultant on forestry issues, to private woodlot owners, firefighters, government agencies or to companies.
• Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
• Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
• Develop new techniques for wood or residue use.

Typical Daily Tasks of Foresters:

• Getting Information: Conduct research of processes in natural or industrial ecosystems. Monitor environmental impacts of production or development activities. Research crop management methods.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
• Documenting/Recording Information.
• Working with Computers.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Determine methods to minimize environmental impact of activities.
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People.
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization.

Foresters Skills and Requirements:

• Troubleshooting Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
• NavigationUsing scroll bars, a mouse, and dialog boxes to work within the computer's operating system. Being able to access and switch between applications and files of interest.
• Negotiation Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
• Learning Strategies Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Systems Analysis Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Science Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Mathematics Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Word ProcessingUsing a computer application to type text, insert pictures, format, edit, print, save, and retrieve word processing documents.

Foresters Education and Training:

Typical education for include: Bachelor's degree.

Foresters Salary, Wages, and Salary and Job Outlook

Foresters average pay is: $64220 per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employees who work in Logging are the highest paid making $36.13, while Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services make the least at $28.29 per hour.Here are the top city/metro areas with the highest paying salaries for a Foresters: