Becoming a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Technician in Louisiana

Becoming a forest and conservation technician may be a great choice of career for you if you are interested in working with foresters and scientists to improve, manage and protect wildlife habitats, forests and rangelands. Your role as a forest and conservation technician would be to provide technical assistance and to compile needed data in order to help protect both animal and plant life and to assist with conservation efforts.

Your job duties may include testing and analyzing soil and gathering information about forest conditions, and you may evaluate vegetation, water or soil for disease or damage. You may train other personnel such as forest and conservation workers in technical or scientific procedures. You might also be known as a resource specialist, forestry technician, conservationist or county ranger.

Requirements for Becoming a Forest or Conservation Technician in Louisiana

Obtaining a high school diploma or GED is the first step you need to take toward a career as a forest or conservation technician. Most job opportunities in this field require a minimum of an associate’s degree. If you go on to complete a bachelor’s degree in forestry or related field, it may help you to be more attractive to potential employers.

You’ll study a variety of subjects in a forestry degree program, starting with science courses such as ecology, biology or geology. You may learn about fire management, insect control, urban forestry or wildlife management as part of your training.

Forestry Degree Training Programs in Louisiana

You may find education programs that focus on forestry and conservation at colleges, universities and community colleges. The more well-rounded your education in this field, the more future opportunities you’ll be prepared for. Consider forestry programs at the following Louisiana schools:

• Louisiana State University. The School of Renewable Resources at LSU offers an undergraduate degree program in Natural Resource Ecology and Management where you can explore a diverse curriculum. Included are opportunities to study biology, forestry, habitat management, fisheries, wetlands and wildlife conservation, which can help prepare you to work in a variety of settings.
• Louisiana Tech University. Located in Ruston, LA, this university’s forestry program offers students a choice between forest management concentration and wildlife habitat management concentration.

Expected Job Opportunities and Salary for Louisiana Forest and Conservation Technicians

Across the United States, job opportunities in the forest and conservation technician field are expected to grow at a rate of approximately 4 percent between 2016 and 2026, according to CareerOnestop. In Louisiana, there aren’t currently a lot of people working in this field, but growth is expected to be as high as 9 percent in this state during the same timeframe.

The median annual salary of forest and conservation technicians in Louisiana in 2018 was $44,130, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hourly mean was $21.10 per hour the same year.

Working as a Forest and Conservation Technician in Louisiana

Many of the job opportunities in the field of forest and conservation involve working for federal, state or local government. You will frequently work outdoors in all kinds of weather, and these jobs often require physical stamina as well as good analytical and research skills. You’ll work closely with foresters and scientists, and you may work in remote locations. You might also specialize in urban forestry in an urban environment.

If you love trees, wildlife and the environment and want to analyze and improve natural resources, this may be the perfect field for you. While the job market may be competitive in Louisiana, if you remain persistent, you can find the perfect job for you working as a forest and conservation technician.