How to Become a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Worker in Illinois

If you love being outdoors and want to support the environment, a career in forest or conservation work could be the perfect choice for you. Forest and conservation workers are part of a team that monitors, preserves and protects forests, whether in their natural setting or trees within urban areas. These specialists measure forest quality and work to improve it.

Forest and conservation workers perform duties as directed by foresters and forestry technicians. Typical tasks include planting trees, inspecting plants for disease, clearing overgrowth and applying insecticides to plants. Some forest workers assist in the collection of data for technicians and foresters. With the right skills, other forest and conservation workers help prevent and fight forest fires.

Forest and conservation workers aren’t limited to work in forests. Some work on tree farms, orchards, forest nurseries and in other horticultural settings. Of all forest and conservation workers, 27 percent are employed by state and government agencies, 13 percent by local government and 14 percent are self-employed. This is a career field that may require relocation due to the limited availability of forest and conservation jobs.

The Steps to Becoming a Forest or Conservation Worker

You’ll need a high school diploma or GED equivalent before you can begin your forestry career. Most forest and conservation employees train on the job, so post-secondary education is not a requirement. However, it’s a good idea to pursue education in forestry or conservation so you can be at the top of the job applicant pool.

Illinois Horticulture Programs

Study in any outdoors-related field will help you prepare to do forest or conservation work. Many community colleges and technical schools offer two-year horticulture programs that teach you the basics about cultivating plants. Some programs are tailored more specifically to forestry, such as the following:

• Joliet Junior College. At this community college, students can earn an associate’s degree in Environmental Horticulture. The degree can be tailored specifically to an urban forestry. The program includes 32 hours of core horticultural coursework. Students can then take 20 hours of training that fits their desired career path. One unique aspect of the program is that students are required to take nine hours of paid “on-the-job” training.
• College of Lake County. With campuses in Grayslake, Lakeshore and Southlake, this Chicago lake area school offers both a certificate and an associate’s degree in Natural Areas Management. To get started at this school, students must first apply for general admission to the college. Some classes are also available online.

Number of Jobs and Income for Forest Workers

According to the Projections Managing Partnership, the number of forest and conservation workers in Illinois will decline over time, but forest and conservation technicians will increase 2.1 percent by 2026. This state also has an average of 30 forest and conservation worker openings per year. You can always start out as a basic forest worker and learn the skills of a technician to gain more job opportunities.

In 2018, Illinois technicians were paid a median wage of $17.11 per hour, which was much higher than the national median hourly income of $13.20.

Employment by Area in Illinois

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)doesn’t report much individual information about forest and conservation workers in Illinois. Instead, you can gain an idea of where to find work by looking at data reported for related forest and conservation technicians.

The largest number of technicians was employed in the Chicago area in 2018, while the highest rate of employment per 1,000 jobs was in the southern Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Forest technicians were paid the highest in Springfield, with a median income over $25 per hour. Regardless of where you live, with the right skills and training you can prove yourself valuable as a forest or conservation worker. Working your way up the ladder with more education and experience in forestry can lead to an advanced career as a forester or conservation scientist.