Continued Forester Job Growth Expected: "Employment of conservation scientists and foresters is expected to grow by 12 percent during the 2008–18 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations. A majority of conservation scientists and foresters are employed by Federal, State, and local governments, and a large percentage of new jobs will be found in these areas."
Increased Spending on Wildfire Management Expected: "the prevention and mitigation of wildfires has become the primary concern for government agencies managing forests and rangelands. The development of previously unused lands, in addition to changing weather conditions, has contributed to increasingly devastating and costly fires. Increases in funding and new programs will create new opportunities for foresters and range managers.
Increased Spending on Green Forestry Jobs Expected: "increased investments in conservation programs will contribute to job growth for conservation scientists and foresters. The use of forests to sequester carbon emissions will create a need for foresters with expertise in this area. The desire to develop renewable forms of energy will increase the need for wood and other biomass products;"
Increased Spending on Private Forestry Jobs Not Certain: "Procurement foresters will see the fewest new jobs, as a result of overall slow growth in the timber and logging industry. Recent large-scale sales of forestlands by industry has resulted in a loss of jobs within the traditional forest industry while creating limited opportunities with timber investment management organizations and real estate investment trusts. Self-employed foresters, who advise private landowners on a contract basis, will see modest growth."
Read the full Department of Labor's Forestry Job Outlook report.
