Forestry

What Is Forestry?

The field of Forestry is all about creating and preserving forests and other related natural resources in a way that will sustain their health and existence.  Forestry has to do with trees, plants, and animals—creating the forests and ecosystems, managing them, and sustaining them. It also has to do with the sensible use of wood in such a way as to sustain the forest environment while creating products for human consumption.  Knowing how forests and animals interact and maintaining that balance is also important within this field.  Forestry is a science, of course—involving biology, chemistry, math, ecology–but it’s also an art—managing and making complex decisions in which creativity is often needed.

To become a professional Forester, you will study a full-range of science and management, while getting a lot of hands-on experience in the field. You’ll be prepared to work in conceptualizing forests and planning sustainable ecosystems. You can also work in forestry with a career in preparing environments that are conducive to growth with the right balance of vegetation, selective cutting of trees for sustainability or for manufacturing, or even fire-fighting and preventing fires. You’ll be concerned not only with the trees themselves and the animals that live there, but also with the soil, insects and diseases, and water in the forests.

Careers in forestry may involve working for the government or for a private sector company. You might work as a Forester, a Land Manager, a Forestry Technician, a Wildland Firefighter, a Millwright, a Heavy Equipment Operator of Mechanic, or many other possibilities depending on the type of training you’ve had—anything from a certificate, to an Associate’s degree, to a Bachelor’s degree or higher.  Positions in the field are perfect for people who really care about the environment, who like to work with their hands, and who can think of nothing better than working in the outdoors in beautiful forests.  Is that you?