Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Foresters
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.
Table of contents
What they do
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.
- Procure timber from private landowners.
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Plan and supervise forestry projects, such as determining the type, number, and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, thinning forests, and monitoring the growth of new seedlings.
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management, and leasing of forest lands.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Foresters procure timber from private landowners. They supervise the activities of other forestry workers.
A typical day for a Forester will also include:
- Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
- Provide advice and recommendations, as a consultant on forestry issues, to private woodlot owners, firefighters, government agencies or companies.
- Contact local forest owners and gain permission to take inventory of the type, amount, and location of all standing timber on the property.
- Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Foresters also negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management, and leasing of forest lands. They may also plan and direct forest surveys and related studies and prepare reports and recommendations.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Foresters determine methods of cutting and removing timber with minimum waste and environmental damage. They might also plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
In addition, they plan and supervise forestry projects, such as determining the type, number, and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, thinning forests, and monitoring the growth of new seedlings.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
To some Foresters, it is also their responsibility to 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.
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What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
85% said they were satisfied with their job and 81% said they found their job meaningful.
It’s one of the most difficult and most rewarding jobs out there. Whether it’s surveying land, planting trees, or collecting biometrics data on ecosystems, you get to work in some of the most rugged, beautiful terrain in the world. You’ll be in good shape from hiking and scrambling over and through the woods, there is an opportunity to learn and use cool tech, including GPS/GIS units and you get paid decently well, and sleep like a log at night. Plus, you’re directly helping to quantify and reduce the effects of climate change.
11/10, highly recommend for any young adult looking for work that feels (and is) good (for the planet).
Alex Wick
MSc. Forestry
Cascadia Carbon
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want independence and like to work on their own and make decisions.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Good salary (earns more than 50% of the careers out there).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Foresters with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $42,500 to $51,890 per year or $20 to $25 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $93,060 | $45 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $77,010 | $37 |
| Median | $63,980 | $31 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $51,890 | $25 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $42,500 | $20 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Foresters based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate | $84450 | $40.60 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $79870 | $38.40 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | $72430 | $34.82 |
| Logging | $70000 | $33.66 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $67750 | $32.57 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $67350 | $32.38 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $66660 | $32.05 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | $65690 | $31.58 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $65580 | $31.53 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $64990 | $31.25 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Foresters work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Foresters including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Government | 3050 | $61640 | $29.63 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 1300 | $67750 | $32.57 |
| Local Government | 1140 | $64320 | $30.92 |
| Logging | 1120 | $70000 | $33.66 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 760 | $66660 | $32.05 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 550 | $72430 | $34.82 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 450 | $79870 | $38.40 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 270 | $60760 | $29.21 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 150 | $63720 | $30.64 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 90 | $65690 | $31.58 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Forest Resources Production and Management
Natural Resources/Conservation
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
Forestry
Forest Sciences and Biology
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
Urban Forestry
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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