Becoming a forester

 

If you’re interested in nature in general, and maybe more specifically in botany, conservation, wildlife and environmental protection, then a career as a forester might just be the thing for you.

Getting qualified

Depending on how far up the ladder you want to go, a professional career in forestry might mean a four-year stint in college or university to earn yourself a bachelor’s degree in forestry. Of course, this is entirely dependent on where you want to work and whether you want to do this as your professional career, or if you just want a look into what the world of forestry actually is.

Many states require mandatory licensing of foresters, so in these places you won’t have much choice but to get your stuff in order. There are many ways you can go about getting a degree and a license as a forester. You can, of course, check at your local college or university to see whether appropriate courses are available or you can find training courses a little further from home at the click of a button.

Away from home

Certain places might need people for shorter periods of time, or even on a volunteer basis, and this is your chance to get a peek into this profession without starting with a four-year degree. Options like this might not be that easy to find, however, and you might do well to start looking abroad as well as at home.

In countries such as Vietnam you can find volunteer positions in jungle areas where your job will be very similar to that of a forester. Very often the training won’t be quite as thorough as you might want, but it can be a great start for someone with no experience. There are also forester courses available in, for example, South Africa, where you can take a course for a few months before starting on a paid forester job in the same area as you did your training.

A forester’s job is incredibly varied, so it’s important that you apply yourself to the tasks at hand and bring all your passion with you to work every day.