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Forest Technician

A Forest Technician works as part of a forest management team. Typical responsibilities include monitoring for harmful insects and tree diseases, coordinating reforestation efforts, and calculating sustainable yields of forest trees. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, this career path might be for you.

This position may also be referred to as a Tech Forester or Technical Forester, Conservation Technician, Biology Technician, or a Fire Technician.

A Research Technician and GIS Technician are similar roles to the Forest Technician. However, they are focused on supporting research and GIS, respectively.

Austin Cary

Technical Forester, Rayonier

I love that nature is my office. On a typical day, I may be measuring or inspecting various types of timber, painting various types of trees or talking with other forestry professionals about future goals. My advice is to never be afraid to ask questions. The more stubborn you are, the slower your growth will be.

Education

A 2-year associate’s degree from a community college in forest technology or a similar field is usually the minimum requirement for this position. Some companies will prefer a bachelor's degree. Focus on courses that educate in land surveying, timber cruising, wildlife management, etc.

Helpful courses to take in high school include science and mathematics. Gain industry experience by taking agricultural-focused courses and joining an agricultural-focused club such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) or 4-H.

Tools of the Trade

  • Specific forestry tools such as prisms, clinometers, loggers tape, hypsometers and calipers.
  • Geographic information systems (GIS) and database programs are used for collecting and analyzing forest data.
  • Safety gear, such as a hard hat, steel-toe shoes, a pair of work gloves, snake chaps, and a safety vest.

Important Skills

Knowledge of basic forest management techniques such as logging, timber cruising, photo interpretation, and tree marking.

Must also have experience with forestry tools, such as prisms, clinometer, geographic information systems (GIS) and calipers.

Must have collaboration and planning skills, as Forest Technicians regularly work in teams.

Have a love for and desire to work in the outdoors.

Job Responsibilities

Forest technicians play a critical role in ensuring the sustainability of working forests. They compile forest characterization data to assist in the conservation of a forest’s soil, water, trees, and other natural resources. Their work includes training and leading other forest workers, forest propagation, fire prevention and suppression, analyzing and managing trees, and protecting wildlife habitats.

Some of the daily tasks the forest technician may perform include tree marking, timber cruising, land clearing, site preparation, and road and bridge maintenance. They may operate heavy equipment and give guidance to other forestry personnel.

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