This post presents detailed information on the forestry technician job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.
It also highlights major requirements prospective employees need to fulfill to be hired for the forestry technician role by most recruiters/employers.
What Does a Forestry Technician Do?
The forestry technician job description involves maintaining all trees, shrubs, and weeds on a private property.
It also entails making sure that the vegetation is trimmed in a way that it can better serve as an ecosystem for its surroundings.
The forestry technician is in charge of planting and maintaining at least 1 acre of native or non-native species in their own land.
They are in charge of planting and maintaining a diverse tree population on the land.
Other duties that define the forestry technician role include creating wildlife habitat, controlling erosion, and maintaining proper irrigation for the trees and shrubs.
Forestry technicians make trails and roads for off road vehicles and provide support for local charities that are related to wildlife.
They operate personal equipment (including but not limited to tractors, chainsaws, and chippers) on their own time.
Forestry technicians ensure that all the trees, shrubs, and weeds are cut down within the day’s work.
This position has to provide maintenance of all the machinery they used during their work time.
The forestry technician also has cleaning tasks to do and will be in charge of cleaning after the workplace.
It is their duty to make sure that the tools and equipment they use shall be in good working condition.
Forestry technicians have a well-maintained first aid kit to help them in dealing with emergencies when they are working.
They will have to make sure that all their work is properly documented and keep records of their work time.
More on Forestry Technician Job Description
A forestry technician will also do road maintenance, create trails, and maintain ponds, lakes, or streams that serve as habitat for wildlife or provide irrigation water for planting trees and shrubs during the maintenance process.
They will be in charge of providing support for other workers from the forestry department, such as weed identification, inspecting firewood, chopping wood, measuring tree growth, etc.
It is their responsibility to make sure that the firewood is of good quality.
Maintaining the vehicles that they drive during work is another important task forestry technicians carry out.
The forestry technician can carry out first aid and CPR so that they can help out if someone gets injured on their job site if something happens.
Forestry Technician Job Description Sample/Example/Template
The forestry technician job description involves the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:
- Plants trees, shrubs, and vines
- Collects samples of trees to be tested for disease and infestation
- Maintains tools, equipment, and supplies necessary for the tasks under supervision
- Directs planting operations in areas with limited access or hostile terrain areas during fire suppression activities to prevent re-burn when possible or improve access to areas where a re-burn has occurred by installing hose lines or constructing roads
- Performs minor maintenance of equipment and tools
- Controls and directs hand labor operations involving cutting, felling, stumping, bucking, delimbing, chaining and skidding
- Prepares forms for registration at the site of planting or harvesting operations by filing activities pertinent to the forms in a log book
- Inspects trees, shrubs, and vines for damage and diseases
- Collects samples of trees to be tested for disease and infestation
- Conducts planting operations on lands owned by the Federal Government or Department
- Assists in the operation of metal fences to prevent deer and elk from entering areas of high hazard in National Forests, National Grasslands, National Wildlife Refuges, and BLM-managed lands
- Conducts forest management activities on private land under contract with the United States Forest Service
Forestry Technician Job Description for Resume
If you have worked before in the position of a forestry technician or are presently working in that role, you can express that experience in the Professional Experience section of your resume by applying the above forestry technician job description.
You can highlight the forestry technician duties and responsibilities in the job description example above in your resume’s Professional Experience to show that you have been successful performing the forestry technician role.
This piece of information in your resume can significantly influence the recruiter/employer to give you the job, especially if the new job that you are applying for requires someone with some forestry technician work experience.
Forestry Technician Requirements: Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge for a Successful Career
Here are major requirements that you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the forestry technician job:
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- Minimum of 4 years of experience in the timber industry (Timber Management Technician, Timber Harvest Technician, Forest Health Technician)
- Current valid driver’s license and first aid certification (or valid completion of the course in the previous 12 months) to drive large trucks, acre tractors and other heavy equipment used in timber harvest activities (all locations)
- Current physical examination is required for employees who need to be certified as competent to perform their duties. It is important that employees be checked for backaches, blood pressure level and vision during this physical examination
- Successful completion of a course in basic safety and first aid to provide a better understanding of the importance of safety and first aid
- Knowledge of local, state and federal regulations by working with other Forest Service employees or staff
- Eight (8) weeks of training for employees who are brand new to the field of Forestry (all locations)
- At least two (2) years of experience in the timber industry, either as a Timber Management Technician, Timber Harvest Technician, Forest Health Technician or Forestry Science Technician at least one year as Master Forester is required to fill this position with preference given to applicants with experience in all areas
- Preferred experience in safety and first aid training.
Forestry Technician Salary
The average salary for a forestry technician in the United States is $42,452 (glassdoor.com) and $35,758 (zippia.com). Zippia reports the top paying cities as: Fairbanks, AK, $41,804, Redding, CA, $40,949; Gastonia, NC, $39,288; Las Vegas, NV, $38,557 and Schenectady, NY, $37,204 per year.
According to firsthand.co, the United States employs approximately 13,900 forest and conservation technicians.
Approximately 38% of all technicians work for state and local governments; others are employed by the federal government.
The majority of jobs in this field are in the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, with others in the Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of Interior.
There are also opportunities in the federal government with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Park Service, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Conclusion
The forestry technician’s job requires a great deal of physical strength and stamina. They are expected to carry heavy equipment and tools around all day in difficult terrain.
This post is useful to individuals interested in the forestry technician career. they will be able to learn all they need to know about what forestry technicians do, and so be able to decide if it’s the right job for them.
It is also helpful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the forestry technician position in their organization.