Forester
What the work is
Studies, develops and manages forest areas to maintain commercial and recreational uses, conserve flora and fauna, and protect against fire, pests and diseases.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Contributes to plans for forest management and operations, which may include silviculture, pest and disease management, forest production, harvesting, haulage, road construction, reforestation and/or regeneration activities
- Collects, reviews and uses data such as forest area, species, volumes of timber and growth rates, for forest management purposes
- Manages the use and sale of forest products such as timber
- Investigates, plans and implements management procedures to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, pests and diseases on forests, including planning and managing fire prevention, and detection and suppression activities such as prescribed burning
- Develops and maintains relationships with stakeholders such as recreational forest users and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and advises governments and clients on forest management strategies
- Maintains organisational policies and processes to comply with environmental, safety and quality standards and regulations, including forest certification
- May study the propagation and culture of forest trees, methods for improving the growth of stock, and the effects of thinning on forest yields
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in farms across a farming district, an agronomy practice and the shed of an oyster grower. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A paddock you advised on greens up and the farmer sends a photo with no caption
- You spot a disease early on a walk through a crop and save the harvest
- A grower says a tip from you saved them a season of trouble
Hard days
- A dry spell has everyone worried and every farmer wants an answer you do not yet have
- A farmer has already decided what to do and wants you to confirm it
- Long drives on dirt roads with samples to analyse and reports to write after
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 244135, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.