Forester Career FAQ

A Forester's Career FAQ

Who will hire you as a forester?

The Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook says "Conservation scientists and foresters held about 39,000 jobs in 1998. Nearly 3 out of 10 workers were in the Federal Government, mostly in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Foresters were concentrated in the USDA’s Forest Service; soil conservationists in the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. Most range managers worked in the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management or in the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service."

"Nearly another 3 out of 10 conservation scientists and foresters worked for State governments, and nearly 1 out of 10 worked for local governments. The remainder worked in private industry, mainly in research and testing services, the forestry industry, and logging and lumber companies and sawmills. Some were self-employed as consultants for private landowners, State and Federal governments, and forestry-related businesses."

Here are sites that can immediately connect you to potential forestry employment:

USDA Forest Service
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
The Department of the Interior
The National Association of State Foresters
The Society of American Foresters
Forest Product Industry Employers
State Conservation Agency Employers
State Forestry Agency Employers
Consulting Forestry Firms
North American Forestry Associations