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NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT If you've ever wondered how in the world you will survive sitting at a desk under florescent lights five days a week, perhaps you need a change of scenery and a new career. With the growing emphasis on environmental concerns, outdoor activities, and natural resource conservation, success can be found in just about every setting and situation. You can broaden your career horizons by considering the wild frontier. There are a lot of great jobs to be found in the great wide open! In fact, careers in nature and the environment are as vast and varied as the earth itself. For more job descriptions and career information in this field, explore your local library for books on other outdoor careers. You will discover that the opportunities are endless. Whether it's on land, sea or in the sky, there's a job for you that doesn't necessarily require an air-conditioned building or the traditional 9-to-5 grind. FORESTER AND CONSERVATION SCIENTIST Forests and rangelands supply us with wood products, land and grass for livestock use, minerals, energy resources and water. They also provide environments to use for recreation as well as habitats for wildlife. The care of these natural resources is of paramount importance to society and all living things. Foresters and Conservation Scientists Manage, develop, use, and help protect the timberlands and other natural resources. Have the difficult job of balancing the conservation of forested ecosystems for future use with the present need to use and enjoy it as a natural resource. Often specialize in one area, such as forest resource management, urban forestry, wood technology, or forest economics. State and Federal Government Foresters Manage public parks and forests and also work with private landowners to protect and manage forest land. May also design campgrounds and recreation areas. Estimate future growth and widespread trends in forest and land use. Range Managers, Range Conservationists, Range Ecologists Manage, improve, and protect one billion acres of U.S. rangelands to maximize their use without damaging the environment. Help ranchers organize grazing systems and livestock production. Maintain soil stability and vegetation for other uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation. Soil Conservationists Provide technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and others concerned with the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. Develop programs designed to get the most productive use of land without damaging it. Visit areas with erosion problems, find the source of the problem, and help landowners and managers develop management practices to combat it. Private Industry Foresters And Forestry Consultants May manage and procure timber from private landowners. Take inventory on the type, amount, and location of all timber on the property. Appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase of timber, and draw up a contract for procurement. Subcontract with loggers or pulpwood cutters for tree removal, and maintain close contact with all parties to ensure that the work is performed to the landowner's, as well as federal, state, and local environmental specifications. Determine how best to preserve wildlife habitats, creekbeds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. Supervise regeneration (the planting and growing of new trees). Working Conditions Mainly work in the field, although some do work in labs or offices. Can be physically demanding; outdoors in all kinds of weather. Sometimes work in isolated areas and densely wooded land. Job Outlook Jobs can be found with the federal government, state and local governments, private industry ( forestry, logging, sawmills) and as private or self-employed consultants. About one third of all salaried workers work for the federal government. Employment is heavily concentrated in the forests and rangelands of the western and southeastern states, although there is work in every state. Slow job growth forecast due to federal government budget constraints. Opportunities will eventually grow with an expected wave of retirements and the need to manage increasingly complex environmental regulations. Salary Starting salary as a forester in private industry or the federal government with a bachelor's degree $18,340 to $22,717 a year, depending on job and academic achievement. A master's degree holder could start at $22,717 or $27,789. Doctorates could start at $33,623 or, in research positions, at $40,298. In 1993, the average federal salary for forester positions was $42,440; for soil conservationists-$39,448; and for forest products technologists-$56,559. Starting salaries in state and local governments were generally lower than private industry or the federal government. Federal, state and local governments, and large private firms generally provide foresters and conservation scientists with more generous benefits, such as pension and retirement plans, health and life insurance, and paid vacations than do smaller firms. Education/Training Bachelor's degree in forestry necessary to be a professional forester. Thirteen states have mandatory licensing or registration requirements. Specialized research or teaching requires an advanced degree. Fifty-five colleges and universities offer degrees in forestry with curriculums stressing science, math, computer science and technical forestry as well as forest economics and business administration. Thirty-one colleges and universities offer degrees in range management. Soil conservationists may have degrees in agronomy, general agriculture, crop or soil science, or other related fields. Recent graduates train and get experience while under supervision. Contacts/Additional Information Society of American Foresters 5400 Grosvenor Ln., Bethesda, MD 20814 Information about a career as a range manager as well as a list of schools offering training is available from: Society for Range Management 1839 York St., Denver, CO 80206 Information about a career as a soil conservationist is available from: Soil and Water Conservation Society 7515 Northeast Ankeny Rd., RR#1, Ankeny, IA 50021-9764 For information about career opportunities in the federal government, contact: Bureau of Land Management U.S. Department of the Interior, Room 3619 1849 C St. N.W., Washington, DC 20240 Chief, U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96090 Washington, DC 20090-6090 Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture 14th St. and Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20013 Other Internet Resources: Environmental Protection Agency ForestNet Greenpeace Journal of Soil and Water Conservation NationalSoil Erosion Research Laboratory Sierra Club U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WWW Virtual Library: Forestry No part of this article may be reproduced without permission of the author. HTML links to this document are allowed, but please let us know via email so we can keep you informed of URL changes.