What is a Forester?
Forester Job Description 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.
What Do Foresters Do On a Daily Basis?
- 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.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
- Plan and direct construction and maintenance of recreation facilities, fire towers, trails, roads and bridges, ensuring that they comply with guidelines and regulations set for forested public lands.
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
- Determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage.
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What Every Forester Should Know
These are the skills Foresters say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Types of Forester
- Forestry Consultant
- Fire Prevention Forester
- Forest Practices Field Coordinator
- Silviculture Forester
- Forester
Job Opportunities for Foresters
In the United States, there were 12,300 jobs for Forester in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 600 new jobs for Forester by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,100 positions for Forester per year.
The states with the most job growth for Forester are Nevada, North Dakota, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Forester
The salary for Foresters ranges between about $41,350 and $86,870 a year.
Foresters who work in New Jersey, District of Columbia, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Foresters in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $65,230 |
| Alaska | $71,800 |
| Arkansas | $56,710 |
| California | $80,030 |
| Colorado | $61,890 |
| Connecticut | $72,010 |
| District of Columbia | $86,790 |
| Florida | $64,190 |
| Georgia | $54,590 |
| Idaho | $57,180 |
| Illinois | $68,570 |
| Indiana | $47,070 |
| Iowa | $64,840 |
| Kentucky | $47,680 |
| Louisiana | $69,890 |
| Maine | $52,850 |
| Maryland | $64,370 |
| Massachusetts | $76,810 |
| Michigan | $66,630 |
| Minnesota | $64,330 |
| Mississippi | $59,900 |
| Missouri | $50,180 |
| Montana | $57,960 |
| Nebraska | $61,530 |
| Nevada | $64,160 |
| New Hampshire | $64,920 |
| New Jersey | $76,760 |
| New Mexico | $52,740 |
| New York | $65,620 |
| North Carolina | $63,610 |
| North Dakota | $55,760 |
| Ohio | $61,990 |
| Oklahoma | $49,390 |
| Oregon | $70,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,170 |
| South Carolina | $61,430 |
| South Dakota | $54,850 |
| Tennessee | $55,610 |
| Texas | $64,740 |
| Vermont | $65,170 |
| Virginia | $59,940 |
| Washington | $69,720 |
| West Virginia | $57,640 |
| Wisconsin | $55,810 |
| Wyoming | $60,980 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Foresters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Foresters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- IBM Notes
- Geographic information system GIS software
- ESRI ArcView
- Work scheduling software
- Mapping software
- ESRI ArcGIS software
Becoming a Forester
Education needed to be a Forester:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Forester?
Where Foresters Work
Foresters work in the following industries:
References:
Image Credit: Lynn Betts via Photo by Lynn Betts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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