Forest and Conservation Technicians: Job Description
Provide technical assistance regarding the conservation of soil, water, forests, or related natural resources. May compile data pertaining to size, content, condition, and other characteristics of forest tracts under the direction of foresters, or train and lead forest workers in forest propagation and fire prevention and suppression. May assist conservation scientists in managing, improving, and protecting rangelands and wildlife habitats.
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What Do Forest and Conservation Technicians Perform?
Typical responsibilities of forest and conservation technicians cover:
- Thin and space trees and control weeds and undergrowth, using manual tools and chemicals, or supervise workers performing these tasks.
- Train and lead forest and conservation workers in seasonal activities, such as planting tree seedlings, putting out forest fires, and maintaining recreational facilities.
- Provide information about, and enforce, regulations, such as those concerning environmental protection, resource utilization, fire safety, and accident prevention.
- Patrol park or forest areas to protect resources and prevent damage.
- Map forest tract data using digital mapping systems.
What Forest and Conservation Technicians Need to Know
Effective forest and conservation technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Forest and Conservation Technicians Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Biological Science Aide
- Conservation Agent
- Conservation Officer
- Conservation Technician
- Field Technician (Field Tech)
- Forest Technician
- Forester Aide
- Forestry Aid Technician
How Many Forest and Conservation Technicians Are There?
The U.S. employs around 72,716 forest and conservation technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Forest and Conservation Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $50,097 |
| Hourly median | $24.09 |
| 10th percentile | $30,534 |
| 25th percentile | $40,316 |
| 75th percentile | $59,879 |
| 90th percentile | $69,660 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Forest and Conservation Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $67,450 |
| Minnesota | $63,540 |
| California | $60,880 |
| Louisiana | $58,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,910 |
| New York | $56,340 |
| Oregon | $55,810 |
| Alaska | $54,810 |
| Washington | $54,310 |
| Colorado | $54,310 |
| Idaho | $54,310 |
| Montana | $54,310 |
| Alabama | $54,310 |
| Arkansas | $54,310 |
| Arizona | $54,310 |
| Massachusetts | $53,960 |
| Michigan | $53,730 |
| Nevada | $53,350 |
| Wyoming | $53,250 |
| Nebraska | $53,250 |
| Wisconsin | $52,620 |
| Florida | $52,290 |
| South Dakota | $52,290 |
| Texas | $51,570 |
| Mississippi | $51,460 |
| West Virginia | $51,440 |
| Georgia | $48,880 |
| Vermont | $48,510 |
| Iowa | $48,280 |
| South Carolina | $48,260 |
| Hawaii | $47,810 |
| Tennessee | $47,370 |
| Missouri | $46,860 |
| Illinois | $45,570 |
| Ohio | $45,570 |
| North Carolina | $45,570 |
| North Dakota | $44,820 |
| Utah | $44,780 |
| New Hampshire | $44,700 |
| Virginia | $43,330 |
| Kentucky | $40,910 |
| Maine | $39,560 |
| Kansas | $36,660 |
| Puerto Rico | $34,670 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for forest and conservation technicians vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $59,095 | 2.2% | 0.23 |
| Far Western US | $58,143 | 40.1% | 3.23 |
| Southwest | $53,648 | 6.1% | 1.63 |
| Plains States | $52,849 | 7.1% | 1.58 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,527 | 24.3% | 10.67 |
| Great Lakes | $49,056 | 7.5% | 0.74 |
| Southeast | $48,737 | 12.0% | 0.60 |
| New England | $45,361 | 0.6% | 0.76 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Forest and Conservation Technicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $70,720 | 90 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $70,220 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $66,020 | 600 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $66,020 | 590 |
| Asheville, NC | NC | $65,960 | 50 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $65,450 | 140 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $65,230 | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $65,060 | 340 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of forest and conservation technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,410 | $53,960 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 680 | $45,040 |
| Educational Services | 380 | $49,120 |
| Utilities | 260 | $101,150 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 110 | $37,590 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 80 | $61,770 |
Below are examples of industries where forest and conservation technicians work:
Tech Stack
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
Work Environment
The work environment for forest and conservation technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Most forest and conservation technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Water Resource Specialists (Supplemental)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Engineers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Soil and Plant Scientists (Supplemental)
- Conservation Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Range Managers (Primary-Short)
- Foresters (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future forest and conservation technicians typically earn programs in:
Natural Resources and Conservation
6 programs across 2 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-4071.00 (Forest and Conservation Technicians).
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