Forestry is a scientific discipline that manages forests and natural resources. There are two career paths: forest preservation and scientific study, and the forest industry. Education, training, work experience, and preparation are necessary for forestry work, which involves relocating to remote areas and living off the land.
People who enjoy working outdoors are often interested in forestry work, a recognized scientific discipline that is also closely associated with environmental science. The primary objective of forestry is to manage forests and related natural resources. A forest ecosystem supports a vast array of animals, insects, plants and plays a critical role in managing water systems and soil resources. While preserving existing forests is a priority, the challenge in forestry work is how to balance conflicting priorities and ensure that any changes are carefully managed. To start forestry work, there are four items that need to be considered: career path, education and training, gaining relevant professional experience, and preparation for the specific challenges of forestry work.
There are two main career paths to be explored in the forest sector: forest preservation and scientific study, and the forest industry. Forest preservation activities are centered on researching and documenting the impact of human activity on the current forest ecosystem. Much of this work is funded by government agencies and involves a significant amount of research, writing, computer work, and meetings. The main objective of this career is to contribute to decisions that help restore and preserve natural resources.
The forestry industry involves working in the actual forest canopy. Many positions are available in government agencies, logging companies or forest-related businesses. This work is mainly external, interacting with workers, supervising planting activities and forest management. The main objective of this type of career is to actively participate in forest management.
Forestry courses are available at the university and community college levels. Both programs provide the training needed to work in this industry. Typically, college graduates gravitate towards positions in the forestry industry and university graduates towards forest preservation, but this is by no means the rule. Continuing education courses combined with work experience allow foresters to move between these two career streams.
Forestry work experience can be gained just by physically moving to where the forest is. Many students participate in tree planting or reforestation projects in the summer months. These projects are completed in the various forest regions and give you the experience you need to decide if this type of work is for you.
Forestry work has several challenges. The first is the requirement to relocate to physically remote areas. The available amenities are quite restricted when compared to urban life or even life in a small rural town. The ability to live off the land is very important in this career as access to packaged foods is limited and costs are often prohibitively high. Learn these skills in advance and practice them before starting forestry work.
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