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Career Exploration

Foresters

Also called: Area Forester, Forester, Silviculturist, Timber Sales Administrator (Timber Sales Admin)

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:
  • 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.
On the job, you'll need:

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

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

Safety and Government

  • law and government

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

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking

Ideas and Logic

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

Realistic

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others

Geographic information system

  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Geographic information system GIS software

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Electronic mail software

  • IBM Notes
  • Microsoft Outlook

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Average.

New job opportunities are likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $64,220

Education

Bachelor's degree or associate's degree is usually needed.