Forest and Conservation Technicians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary

Forest and conservation technicians measure and improve the quality of forests, which includes fire suppression activities.

Quick Facts: Forest and Conservation Technicians
2010 Median Pay	$33,390 per year $16.05 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Associate’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	36,500
Job Outlook, 2010-20	-1% (Little or no change)
Employment Change, 2010-20	-400

What Forest and Conservation Technicians Do

Forest and conservation technicians measure and improve the quality of forests, rangeland, and other natural areas.

Work Environment

Forest and conservation technicians typically work outdoors, sometimes in remote locations.

How to Become a Forest and Conservation Technician

Forest and conservation technicians typically need an associate’s degree in a forest technology or technician program or in a related field. Employers look for technicians who have a degree that is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

Pay

The median annual wage of forest and conservation technicians was $33,390 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of forest and conservation technicians is expected to experience little or no change from 2010 to 2020. Heightened demand for American timber and wood pellets will help increase overall job prospects for forest and conservation technicians.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of forest and conservation technicians with similar occupations.

O*NET

O*NET provides comprehensive information on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

Contacts for More Information

Learn more about forest and conservation technicians by contacting these additional resources.

What Forest and Conservation Technicians Do About this section

Technicians monitor the activities of loggers and other workers who harvest the forests’ natural resources.

Forest and conservation technicians measure and improve the quality of forests, rangeland, and other natural areas.

Duties

Forest and conservation technicians typically do the following:

Gather data on water and soil quality, disease, and insect damage to trees and other plants, and conditions that may pose a fire hazard
Locate property lines and evaluate forested areas to determine the species, quality, and amount of standing timber
Select and mark trees to be cut
Track where wildlife goes, help build roads, and maintain trails, campsites, and other recreational facilities
Train and lead seasonal workers who plant seedlings
Monitor the activities of loggers and others who remove trees for timber sales or for other reasons
Patrol forest areas and enforce environmental protection regulations
Communicate with foresters, scientists, and sometimes the public about ongoing forestry and conservation activities
Suppress forest fires with fire control activities, including training other forestry workers and coordinating detection programs

Forest and conservation technicians generally work under the supervision of foresters or conservation scientists. For more information, see the profile on conservation scientists and foresters.

Increasing numbers of forest and conservation technicians work in urban forestry—the study and management of trees and associated plants, individually or in groups within cities, suburbs and towns—and other nontraditional specialties, rather than in forests or rural areas.

Work Environment About this section

Forest and conservation technicians typically work outdoors, sometimes in remote locations.

Forest and conservation technicians held 36,500 jobs in 2010. The industries employing the largest numbers of forest and conservation technicians in 2010 were as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service	78%
State government, excluding education and hospitals	10
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	7

Forest and conservation workers work for governments (federal, state, or local) or on privately owned forest lands. Most government technicians are employed by the federal government. Technicians in the eastern United States usually work for private forests. Because many national parks are in the West and Southwest, most technicians in these areas work for the federal government.

Forest and conservation technicians typically work outdoors, sometimes in remote locations and in all types of weather. The work can be physically difficult. They must walk long distances, sometimes on steep slopes and in heavily forested areas or wetlands.

When working near logging operations or in wood yards, technicians must wear a hardhat.

Other technicians work closely with the public, educating them about forest conservation or proper use of recreational sites.

Work Schedules

Most forest and conservation technicians work full time and have a routine work schedule. Seasonal employees may work longer hours and at night. In addition, technicians may need to work longer hours to respond during emergencies.

How to Become a Forest and Conservation Technician About this section

Forest and conservation technicians typically need an associate’s degree in forestry or a related field.

Forest and conservation technicians typically need an associate’s degree in forestry or a related field. Employers look for technicians who have a degree that is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

Education

Forestry and conservation technicians typically need an associate’s degree in a forestry technology or technician program or in a related field. Most forestry and conservation technology programs are accredited by SAF, and every state has accredited programs.

Many technical and community colleges offer programs in forestry technology or a related field. Associate’s degree programs at community colleges are designed to provide easy transfer to bachelor’s degree programs at colleges and universities. Training at technical institutes usually includes less theory and education than that in community colleges.

Coursework for an associate’s degree in forestry technology or a related field includes ecology, biology, and forest resource measurement. Some technicians also have a background in a Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and other forms of computer modeling.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Forest and conservation technicians conduct a variety of field tests and onsite measurements, all of which require precision and accuracy.

Critical-thinking skills. Forest and conservation technicians reach conclusions through sound reasoning and judgment. They determine how to improve forest conditions and must react appropriately to fires.

Interpersonal skills. Forest and conservation technicians need to work well with others. They supervise forest and conservation workers and also receive instruction from scientists and specialists, so effective communication is critical.

Listening skills. To avoid making dangerous mistakes, forest and conservation technicians must follow instructions given to them by foresters and conservation scientists.

Physical stamina. Forest and conservation technicians often walk long distances in steep and wooded areas. They work in all kinds of weather, including extreme heat and cold.

Speaking skills. Forest and conservation technicians must clearly instruct forest and conservation workers, who typically do the labor necessary to take care of the forest.

Pay About this section

Forest and Conservation Technicians

Median annual wages, May 2010

Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians: $40,690
Total, All Occupations: $33,840
Forest and Conservation Technicians: $33,390

The median annual wage of forest and conservation technicians was $33,390 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,930, and the top 10 percent earned more than $53,780.

Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest number of forestry and conservation technicians in May 2010 were as follows:

State government, excluding education and hospitals	$36,930
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	34,010
Federal government, excluding postal service	31,330

Job Outlook About this section

Forest and Conservation Technicians

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Total, All Occupations: 14%
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians: 11%
Forest and Conservation Technicians: -1%

Employment of forest and conservation technicians is expected to experience little or no change from 2010 to 2020.

Heightened demand for American timber and wood pellets will help increase overall job prospects for forest and conservation technicians. Most growth in employment over the next 10 years for forest and conservation technicians is expected to be in federally owned forest lands. Jobs in private forests should grow alongside the demand for timber and pellets, but ongoing fiscal crises will likely lessen the number of available positions in state and local governments.

Employment projections data for forest and conservation technicians, 2010-20
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Change, 2010-20		Employment by Industry
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Percent	Numeric	Employment by Industry
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Forest and Conservation Technicians	19-4093	36,500	36,100	-1	-400	[XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of forest and conservation technicians.

Occupation	Job Duties	ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION	2010 MEDIAN PAY
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians	Under the supervision of scientists, agricultural and food science technicians measure and analyze the quality of food and agricultural products.	Associate’s degree	$32,760
Biological Technicians	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	Bachelor’s degree	$39,020
Conservation Scientists and Foresters	Conservation scientists and foresters manage overall land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources.	Bachelor’s degree	$57,420
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians	Environmental science and protection technicians do laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those affecting health. Many work under the supervision of environmental scientists and specialists, who direct their work and evaluate their results.	Associate’s degree	$41,380
Firefighters	Firefighters protect the public by responding to fires and other emergencies. They are frequently the first emergency personnel on the scene of an accident.	Postsecondary non-degree award	$45,250
Forest and Conservation Workers	Forest and conservation workers measure and improve the quality of forests. Under the supervision of foresters and forest and conservation technicians, they help to develop, maintain, and protect forests.	High school diploma or equivalent	$23,900