Natural Resources Conservation: Now What?

Natural Resources Conservation…Now What?

2024 Median Pay: $69,060 per year/$33.20 per hour

Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's Degree

Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None

On-the-job Training: None

Number of Jobs, 2023: 41,400

Job Outlook, 2023-33: 5% (As fast as average)

Employment Change, 2023-33: 1,900

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm

What Is Natural Resources Conservation?                         

Conservation Biology has focused on the scientific study of 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
  • Select 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 several 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 quality-of-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

 

Selection of Employers for Recent (Class of 2024/25) UMass Amherst Natural Resources Conservation Alumni:

  • Clemson University
  • Connecticut River Conservancy
  • Duxbury Beach Reservation
  • Harvard Forest
  • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
  • Mass Audubon
  • Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
  • Museum of Science Boston
  • Nantucket Land Bank
  • New England Aquarium
  • New England Regional Center of Vector-Borne Diseases
  • Sierra Institute for Community & Environment
  • SOLitude Lake Management
  • SWCA Environmental Consultants

Where Might I Do an Internship?

UMass Amherst Natural Resource Conservation Majors Have Done Internships at the Following Sites:

  • Amherst (Town of)
  • Association to Preserve Cape Cod
  • Bay State Forestry Service
  • Bioshelters Inc.
  • Conservation Services Group, Inc. (CGS)
  • Denali Lodges
  • EDP Renewables
  • 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
  • Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
  • Smith Barney
  • Southwick Conservation Commission
  • Triumvirate Environmental
  • Trustees of Reservations
  • 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
  • US Forest Service
  • UTC Power
  • World Wildlife Federation

Career Planning Resources & Websites

 

Natural Resources Job and Internship Search Resources              

UMass Amherst Specific Job Search Resources

 

Natural Resources Conservation

 

Internships and Field Research in Conservation Science

              

Professional Organizations         

Many professional organization’s websites have career information on them. You can often use them to search for networking events, meet a mentor in your field of study, find current research, search for internships or jobs, and gain insight into what direction within the field you may wish to pursue. 

What Do Employers Look For? (NACE 2025 Job Outlook for Students)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:

Problem Solving, Teamwork, Written Communication, Taking Initiative, Strong Work Ethic, Technical Skills, Verbal Communication, Flexibility/Adaptability, Analytical/Quantitative, Detail-Oriented

Factors Considered by Employers When Screening Candidates:

Academic Major, Has completed an internship in the industry, Industry experience, Has demonstrated proficiency in competencies, Has completed an internship with the organization, Has held a leadership position, Has been involved in leadership/extracurricular activities, Has held part-time jobs in college to finance education, Has done volunteer work