There are many reasons why you may want to become a forester or enter into the forestry field. Here are three good reasons why you may want to consider a job in forestry. Truthfully, when I entered forestry school, the first one I knew, the third I caught on quickly, but the second required a little learning and time in the field. So if you are considering a career in forestry here are three, but by no means the only, reasons I think you will find it a great career.
1. Get Outdoors: If the idea of working inside a windowless box or even having to stare out the window to get a sense of what the outdoors is like at your job scares you, then forestry might be for. While not every forestry job is centered on working outside, many spend some time or a significant part of the work time on field related outdoor tasks. Most field foresters, those who work closest to the trees and land, usually spend a lot of their time out in the “woods.” This can range from planting trees, measuring tree growth, determining harvesting plans, and a multitude of other outdoor related work. Even as a forester or engineer transitions into roles further from the field into management roles, opportunities to spend time outside exist or can be created. This outdoor work does require some comfort with dealing with adverse weather conditions. Depending on where you work, rain, snow, or heat, can all be conditions you might find yourself working in. Looking back at my career some of my fondest memories include times of working in snowy or rainy conditions. If you enjoy the idea of putting your skills and talents to work in a way that is not solely from behind a desk, then forestry might be for you.
2. Broad career opportunities : Forestry is a very broad topic and can provide an equally broad range of career opportunities. There is so much more than the stereotypical forester walking through the woods measuring trees in his hard hat and cruiser vest. An always very technical field, forestry, has continued to evolve. The forestry profession beyond the traditional forester includes, biometricians, forest engineers, GIS analysts, computer modelers, logging operations, policy analyst, regulatory enforcement, real estate, lumber manufacturing and many more. Many of these are specialized fields within forestry, but most all are enhanced with the basic experience that a field forester gains while implementing their knowledge and skills out in the field early in their career. This is by no means an exhaustive list of areas within forestry or even where you could apply the skills and knowledge from forestry in your future career.
3. Great people: This reason is probably a no brainer, because who would want to work someplace where there were not great people. The forestry profession is full of hard working, big hearted, caring people. Whether it is mentoring a new forester entering the field, donating time to not only professional organizations but also their communities, or helping out with local charities, example after example can be found. After all when you work in a profession that helps to provide the forest products we use everyday in society, including building our homes, how could you not care. Foresters are stewards of a wonderful resource that provides many benefits to society at large. Many of these men and women not only care deeply about the resources in their care but also for the communities they work and live in. You will find youth sports coaches, school board members, scout leaders and volunteer fire fighters as a few examples of how these hard working people contribute to their communities. Additionally, many of those in the profession are willing to serve as mentors to young foresters.
If you are looking for a rewarding and challenging career with opportunities to work outdoors and with great people you might want to consider forestry. We will explore some ways to enter the career field in future posts. Till then, hope to see you in the woods.