Forester

Foresters manage over 700 million acres of forest land in the United States. They must balance the desire to conserve forested ecosystems with the need to use forest resources for economic and recreational purposes.

What do they do

A Forester's duties include measuring and grading trees, appraising timber value, evaluating insect outbreaks, conducting land surveys, fighting wildfires, managing prescribed fires, laying out road systems, supervising construction of hiking trails and planting of trees, supervising timber harvesting, or conducting research.  They also plan and direct recreational use of forestlands, design and implement watershed plans using forest practices to protect and wildlife habitat, manage watersheds to protect water quality, and plan forest practices that help to ensure an abundance of wildlife.  Many foresters work outdoors in all kinds of weather or in isolated areas.  The job can be physically demanding, requiring the forester to walk long distances through dense "cover" land to carry out his or her duties.  Others work regular business hours in offices or labs.

Education

A Bachelor's degree is required to be recognized as a professional forester.  Some states require foresters to be registered or licensed in order to provide forestry services.  In the federal government, a combination of experience and education can substitute for a 4-year degree, but job competition can be intense.  In 1993, 55 colleges and universities offered bachelor's or higher degrees in forestry.  Some 45 of these were accredited by the Society of American Foresters.  Prospective foresters should have knowledge of policy issues and the complex environmental regulations that may affect forestry activities.  High school students interested in this field should take as many courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, earth sciences and natural resources as their high school offers.

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