About 2 out of 3 work for Federal, State, or local governments. A bachelor's degree in forestry, range management, or a related field is usually the minimum educational requirement. Projected average employment growth will stem from continuing emphasis on environmental protection and responsible land management. Conservation scientists and foresters manage, develop, use, and help protect these and other natural resources.
Foresters manage forested lands for a variety of purposes.
Those working in private industry may procure timber from private landowners. To do this, foresters contact local forest owners and gain permission to take inventory of the type, amount, and location of all standing timber on the property, a process known as timber cruising. Foresters then appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase of timber, and draw up a contract for procurement. Next, they subcontract with loggers or pulpwood cutters for tree removal, aid in road layout, and maintain close contact with the subcontractor's workers and the landowner to ensure that the work meets the landowner's requirements, as well as Federal, State, and local environmental specifications. Forestry consultants often act as agents for the forest owner, performing these duties and negotiating timber sales with industrial procurement foresters.