Becoming a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Technician in Montana

If you live in Montana and love the great outdoors, working as a forest and conservation technician could be your next career move. This is a job that doesn’t require a four-year degree, and yet it pays well and offers the reward of making a difference in managing and protecting woodlands and wildlife.

The role of a forest technician is important. In this career you will work with foresters and forest workers to measure trees, identify trees with disease or damage, survey forests and analyze collected data. You may be out in the woods making measurements or in front of a computer looking at information to help make decisions about managing forests.

How to Get into Forest Technology in Montana

Forest technician and conservation workers usually hold a two-year associate’s degree in forest technology or a related field. This is not strictly required, but most employers prefer to hire workers with this education level. A two-year program will provide the foundational knowledge and the basic skills needed to do the job, but you may also receive some on-the-job training. Montana has no requirements for licensing or certification to work as a forest technician.

Forest Technology Academic Programs in Montana

In Montana you have a few options for earning a degree in forest technology or forestry:

• Flathead Valley Community College, Kalispell and Libby. Flathead Valley offers you the choice of two campuses and one program for an associate’s degree in forestry. The program takes two years to complete and will prepare you to work in an entry-level forest technician position. The credits will also transfer to a four-year university so that you can work toward a bachelor’s degree and become a forester.
• University of Montana, Missoula. If you do want to earn a four-year degree in forestry, you can do so at the University of Montana’s College of Forestry and Conservation. The program includes classroom work as well as hands-on training in the forests of Montana. It is accredited by the Society of American Foresters.
• Salish Kootenai College, Pablo. The Division of Natural Resources at this Flathead Nation tribal college offers both two- and four-year degree options for forestry. With the two-year degree, you will be ready to work as a forest technician. The program includes all the basic forest technology courses as well as an emphasis on tribal and cultural issues related to forests and natural resources.

Forest Technician Job Outlook and Salaries

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Montana has more forest and conservation technicians than most other states. Only California, Idaho and Oregon employ more. In most parts of the U.S., growth for this career is slowing or only growing at a pace below average job growth. Montana, however, has plenty of opportunities for qualified forest technicians.

The average annual salary for a forest and conservation technician in the state is $37,100, a little higher than the national average for this occupation. The technicians earning the most in the state can expect to make more than $53,000 per year. To get to a higher salary level, you may want to train for additional skills, such as forest fire fighting.

Working in Forest and Conservation Technology in Montana

Montana is a vast state with minimal human development. There are many national, state and local forests that need to be managed over large areas. This means there is a good market for new forest technicians. Employers include the federal and state governments, municipal governments, tree farms, lumber companies and orchards.

The work of a forest technician in Montana can be very rewarding, but it is also physically demanding and sometimes dangerous. You’ll be on your feet a lot, walking miles a day and sometimes using heavy equipment. You should be in good physical shape and prepared to be outside in all weather conditions to enjoy this career.