How to Become a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Worker in Ohio

If you have a great love for the outdoors and picture yourself working in forests every day, becoming a forest or conservation worker could be the career move for you. Forest and conservation workers do their jobs under the supervision and direction of a forester or forester technician to restore, protect and care for forests.

Forest and conservation workers may help plant trees, clear debris, spray plants with insecticides and assist in controlled forest burning. They inspect equipment, help prevent forest fires and cut down dead and ill trees. The job requirements of forest and conservation workers depend on their work environment. Those who work in cities may practice urban forestry, the management of trees and plants in a city setting.

In 2016, 27 percent of forest and conservation workers were employed by state governments. Fourteen percent were self-employed. A career in forest or conservation work may require the ability to relocate for job placement because jobs are not high in number.

How to Become a Forest or Conservation Worker

To become a forest or conservation worker, you’ll need to first earn your high school diploma or GED. Then, most forest and conservation workers are trained while on the job. There is no education requirement for this job, but studying in a two-year community college or vocational program can give you the knowledge and background for success. Forest and conversation technicians require training to handle technical aspects of the job.

Studying Forestry in Ohio

If you decide to pursue education in forestry, you’ll have more qualifications to land your first job. These Ohio schools offer forestry degrees:

• Kent State Columbiana. Located in Salem, Ohio, this school offers a two-year Horticulture Technology Associate Degree with a concentration in Urban Forestry. This school has an open enrollment policy for students holding a high school diploma or GED. Upon graduation, students will have an understanding of plants, safety procedures in the workplace and proper business protocol.
• Hocking College. This community college in Nelsonville offers a two-year associate’s degree in Forest Management. The program is accredited by Society of American Foresters (SAF). Graduates can transfer to West Virginia University to earn a bachelor’s degree in forest management. More than half of this program’s class time is spent outdoors.

Income and Job Availability

While there’s not an extreme demand for forest and conservation technicians in Ohio, these specialists are paid well compared to those across the rest of the country. In 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that Ohio forest and conservation workers earned a median income of $20.35 per hour. Technicians in Ohio were paid slightly less, at a median of $19.51 per hour. In comparison, the national median salary for forest and conservation workers was only $13.20 per hour.

Where Should You Work?

Forest and conservation workers are generally needed anywhere there are forestry or urban forestry needs. By looking at where the most forest and conservation technicians work, you can get an idea of good places to find jobs. For technicians, the highest employment rate falls in the southern and west-northwestern nonmetropolitan Ohio areas. In the west-northwestern nonmetropolitan area, these professionals make over $25 per hour. The cities of Cleveland and Cincinnati are also good areas to find work.

If you’re driven and dedicated to a career in forestry, start learning everything you can on the topic. Complete an associate’s degree and start looking for jobs. You may have to get creative when job-searching, but your dedication should pay off with a rewarding career.