Farming, fishing and forestry
Forest and conservation workers
Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect areas such as forests, forested areas, woodlands, wetlands, and rangelands through such activities as raising and transporting seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to plant life; and building structures to control water, erosion, and leaching of soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, tree planters, and gatherers of nontimber forestry products such as pine straw.
Median pay
$43,680
Growth to 2035
−1%
little or no change
Openings a year
2,200
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Forest and conservation workers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Forest and conservation workers: 19% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
- Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
- Perform fire protection or suppression duties, such as constructing fire breaks or disposing of brush.
- Confer with other workers to discuss issues, such as safety, cutting heights, or work needs.
Also called: Christmas Tree Farmer · Conservation Officer · Field Laborer · Forest Ranger · Forest Resource Specialist · Forestry Support Specialist · Park Maintainer · Reforestation Worker
Outlook and AI
Forest and conservation workers held 14,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 14,500 by 2035 (−1%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as the automation of some manual labor tasks in forest and conservation work reduces the number of necessary workers.
Compare with
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Forest and conservation technicians
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Forester
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Conservation scientist
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Forest and conservation workers vs. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Forest and conservation workers vs. Agricultural technician