Natural Resources Conservation: Now What?
Quick Facts: Conservation Scientists and Foresters
Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook
- 2021 Median Pay: $63,750 per year; $30.65 per hour
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's degree
- Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
- On-the-job Training: Internship/residency
- Number of Jobs, 2020: 39,000
- Job Outlook, 2020-30: 7% (As fast as average)
- Employment Change, 2020-30: 2,900
What Is Natural Resources Conservation?
Conservation biology has focused on the scientific study of the nature and of Earth’s biodiversity, with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction. Today's conservation science incorporates conservation biology into a broader interdisciplinary field that explicitly recognizes the tight coupling of social and natural systems. Natural Resources Conservation is a multi-disciplinary field that integrates rigorous academic training in the natural, conservation, and social sciences, with hands-on field skills, towards the goal of bettering natural resource management.
As human populations increase and natural resources and habitats become more limited, there is a critical need for trained conservation professionals in natural resources conservation. Natural conservation scientists study the ecology of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and how these systems can best be managed to conserve biodiversity, protect ecosystem functions, and provide sustainable benefits to humans in society. Emerging priorities include pursuing conservation within working landscapes, rebuilding public support, working with the corporate sector, and paying better attention to human rights and equity.
What Do Conservation Scientists And Foresters Do?
Conservation scientists and foresters typically do the following:
- Monitor forestry and conservation activities to assure compliance with government regulations
- Establish plans for managing forest lands and resources
- Supervise activities of other forestry and conservation workers
- Choose and prepare sites for new trees using controlled burning, bulldozers, or herbicides to clear land
- Negotiate terms and conditions for forest harvesting and land-use contracts
- Direct and participate in forest-fire suppression
- Determine ways to remove timber with minimum environmental damage
- Monitor forest-cleared lands to ensure that they are suitable for future use
Conservation scientists manage, improve, and protect the country's natural resources. They work with landowners and federal, state, and local governments to devise ways to use and improve the land while safeguarding the environment. Conservation scientists advise farmers, farm managers, and ranchers on how they can improve their land for agricultural purposes and control erosion.
Foresters have a wide range of duties, and their responsibilities vary depending on their employer. Some primary duties of foresters include drawing up plans to regenerate forested lands, monitoring the progress of those lands, and supervising tree harvests. They also come up with plans to keep forests free from disease, harmful insects, and damaging wildfires. Foresters may choose and direct the preparation of sites on which trees will be planted. They advise on the type, number, and placement of trees to be planted. When the trees reach a certain size, foresters decide which trees should be harvested and sold to sawmills.
Conservation scientists and foresters evaluate data on forest and soil quality, assessing damage to trees and forest lands caused by fires and logging activities. In addition, they lead activities such as fire suppression and planting seedlings. Fire suppression activities include measuring how quickly fires will spread and how successful the planned suppression activity turns out. Scientists and foresters use their skills to determine a fire’s impact on a region’s environment. Communication with firefighters and other forest workers is an important component of fire suppression activities because the information that conservation scientists and foresters give can change how firefighters work.
Conservation scientists and foresters use a number of tools to perform their jobs. They use clinometers to measure the heights of trees, diameter tapes to measure a tree’s circumference, and increment borers and bark gauges to measure the growth of trees so that timber volumes can be computed and growth rates estimated. In addition, conservation scientists and foresters often use remote sensing (aerial photographs and other imagery taken from airplanes and satellites) and geographic information systems (GIS) data to map large forest or range areas and to detect widespread trends of forest and land use. They make extensive use of hand-held computers and global positioning systems (GPS) to study these maps.
The following are some types of conservation scientists and foresters:
- Procurement foresters buy timber by contacting local forest owners and negotiating a sale. This activity typically involves taking inventory on the type, amount, and location of all standing timber on the property. Procurement foresters then appraise the timber’s worth, negotiate its purchase, and draw up a contract. The forester then subcontracts with loggers or pulpwood cutters to remove the trees and to help lay out roads to get to the timber.
- Other foresters, mostly in the federal government, study issues facing forests and related natural resources. They may study issues such as tree improvement and harvesting techniques, global climate change, improving wildlife habitats, and protecting forests from pests, diseases, and wildfires.
- Urban foresters live and work in larger cities and manage urban trees. They are concerned with qualityof-life issues, including air quality, shade, and storm water runoff.
- Conservation education foresters train teachers and students about issues facing forest lands.
- Two of the most common types of conservation scientists are range managers and soil conservationists.
- Range managers, also called range conservationists, protect rangelands to maximize their use without damaging the environment. Rangelands contain many natural resources and cover hundreds of millions of acres in the United States, mainly in the western states and Alaska. Range managers may inventory soils, plants, and animals; develop resource management plans; help to restore degraded ecosystems; or help manage a ranch. They also maintain soil stability and vegetation for uses such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation. Like foresters, they work to prevent and reduce wildfires and invasive animal species.
- Soil and water conservationists give technical help to people who are concerned with the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. For private landowners, they develop programs to make the most productive use of land without damaging it. They also help landowners with issues such as dealing with erosion. They help private landowners and governments by advising on water quality, preserving water supplies, preventing groundwater contamination, and conserving water.
What Can I Do With A Degree In Natural Resources Conservation?
- Animal Nursery Worker
- Arborists & Urban Foresters
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Community Organizer
- Conservation Law Enforcement Officers
- Conservation Program Manager
- Conservation Scientist
- Conservation Technician
- Elementary / High School Science Teacher
- Environmental Educator
- Environmental Lawyers
- Environmental Science Technician
- Environmental Specialist
- Fish/Game Warden
- Forest Firefighter
- Forest/Wildlife Detective
- Forestry Worker
- Fundraiser
- GIS/Mapping Technician
- Land Planner
- Landscape Architect
- Naturalists and Environmental Educators
- Outdoor Recreation Specialists
- Park Managers and Rangers
- Permit Coordinator
- Plant Ecologist
- Professional Foresters and Plant Ecologists
- Public Relations Specialist
- Real Estate Inspector
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist
- Restoration Specialist
- Science Writer
- Soil Scientist
- Systems Ecologist
- Water and Land Use Planners
- Water Resource Technician
- Watershed Scientist
- Wildlife and Fisheries Technicians
- Wildlife Biologist
- Wildlife Manager
- Zoologist
Who Might I Work For?
About 70% of conservation scientists work for federal, state or local governments.
- County Soil and Water Conservations Districts
- Environmental Consulting Firms
- Forestry Companies
- Green Builders
- Land Brokers
- Land Management Agencies
- Land Surveying Firms
- Lobbying Firms
- Municipal Water Depts
- National Forest Service
- Natl Oceanographic & Atmospheric Admin
- Parks Service (National, State, private)
- Schools & Colleges
- Social Advocacy Organizations
- State/Local Govt Agencies
- United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- US Department of Energy (DOE)
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- US Fish & Wildlife
- USDA Resource Conservation Service
- Watershed District
Where Might I Do an Internship?
UMass Amherst Natural Resource Conservation Majors Have Done Internships At The Following Sites:
- Amherst (Town of)
- Bayshore Discovery Project
- Bioshelters Inc.
- Campaign to Save the Environment
- Conservation Services Group, Inc. (CGS)
- Denali Lodges
- Elephants Without Borders
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Flynn Associates
- Global Vision International
- Greenpeace, Inc.
- Hitchcock Center for the Environment
- MA Dept. of Environ. Mgmt.
- MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
- Mass Public Interest Research Group (MassPIRG)
- Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
- Smith Barney
- Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD)
- Southwick Conservation Commission
- Triumvirate Environmental
- UMass Amherst Campus Sustainability Initiative
- UMass Amherst Nat Res Conservation Dept
- UMass Amherst Cold Spring Orchard
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- US District Court - District of Connecticut
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- UTC Power
- Walt Disney World
Important Transferable Qualities To Include On Your Resume
- Analytical skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must evaluate the results of a variety of field tests and experiments, all of which require precision and accuracy.
- Critical-thinking skills. Conservation scientists and foresters reach conclusions through sound reasoning and judgment. They determine how to improve forest conditions, and they must react appropriately to fires.
- Decision-making skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must use their expertise and experience to determine whether their findings will have an impact on soil, forest lands, and the spread of fires.
- Interpersonal skills. Conservation scientists and foresters need to work well with the forest and conservation workers and technicians they supervise, so effective communication is critical.
- Physical stamina. Conservation scientists and foresters often walk long distances in steep and wooded areas. They work in all kinds of weather, including extreme heat and cold.
- Speaking skills. Conservation scientists and foresters must give clear instructions to forest and conservation workers and technicians, who typically do the labor necessary for proper forest maintenance.
What Do Employers Look For?
(Source: NACE Job Outlook 2022, Courtesy of the National Association of College and Employers | www.naceweb.org)
Top 10 Things Employers Look for on Your Resume
- Problem-solving skills
- Analytical/quantitative skills
- Ability to work in a team
- Communication skills (written)
- Initiative
- Strong work ethic
- Technical skills
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Detail-oriented
- Leadership
7 Things That Give You an Advantage in the Job Market
- Internship with the organization
- Internship within the industry
- Major
- Leadership position
- General work experience
- Extracurricular activities
- High GPA (3.0 or above)