Forest and Conservation Technicians
What Forest and Conservation Technicians Do
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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 0.7%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 3 of 5Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.8/5
- English Languageimportance 3.7/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.5/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 3.4/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 3.4/5
- Geographyimportance 3.4/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.3/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.3/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.9/5
- E-Mail4.7/5
- Telephone Conversations4.6/5
- Contact With Others4.4/5
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.4/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians96% skill match
- Surveyors95% skill match
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists95% skill match
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping95% skill match
- Forensic Science Technicians94% skill match
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians94% skill match
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors93% skill match
- Log Graders and Scalers93% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.3/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.3/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.1/5
- Instructingimportance 3.1/5
- Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
- Systems Analysisimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
In-Demand Technologies
Other Software Used
- Allegro Landmark
- Assisi Compiler
- Assisi Forest
- Assisi Inventory
- Atterbury Consultants SuperAce
- Autodesk AutoCAD LT
- Ben Meadows Yeoman Expedition
- Computer graphics software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Integrity
- Perseverance
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Leadership Orientation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeMedium
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where forest and conservation technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Carson City, NV24.94× national avg
- 2Missoula, MT24.89× national avg
- 3Bend, OR20.22× national avg
- 4Helena, MT19.45× national avg
- 5Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA18.77× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention SpecialistsCareer Change
- Forensic Science TechniciansLateral Move
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsCareer Change
- Nuclear Medicine TechnologistsCareer Change
See the full career path from Forest and Conservation Technicians →
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Environmental Science
- Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH)grads earn ~$55,733
- University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)grads earn ~$78,624
- University of California-Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)grads earn ~$63,628
- American Public University System (Charles Town, WV)grads earn ~$57,618
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)
Forestry, General
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA)grads earn ~$64,204
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh (Raleigh, NC)grads earn ~$86,357
- Reedley College (Reedley, CA)
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Stevens Point, WI)grads earn ~$55,724
- University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)grads earn ~$48,755