Becoming a forester requires a passion for the natural environment and a commitment to one’s education. To become a professional forester requires a 4-year bachelor’s degree in forestry from a college or university with an accredited forestry program. To become a forest technician requires a 2-year associate’s degree from a school with an accredited technical forestry program.
- Professional forester: In addition to being trained to perform all of the duties of a forest technician, a professional forester’s duties also include the development of management plans for public or private forests, which incorporate more complex ecological processes and forest restoration activities. Duties might also include the supervision of other foresters or technicians.
- Forest technician: A forest technician usually works under the supervision of a forester conducting such tasks as measuring timber and associated forest resources, supervising harvesting operations, surveying, regeneration, and timber sales transactions.