How to Become a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Worker in Massachusetts

Forestry and conservation workers are responsible for maintaining a safe, healthy environment for people, animals and plants. They typically work in urban or rural areas depending on their ideal worksites, which can include national and state forests, landscaping companies, arbors, orchards and farms. The job is physically demanding, but many who choose it enjoy the ability to stay outdoors for most of the day.

Typical duties include identifying and treating or removing diseased trees, pruning trees with special equipment, preventing forest fires and keeping campgrounds and trails clean and safe. In each of these roles, forest and conservation workers are supervised by forest technicians or foresters.

Prerequisites for Forest and Conservation Work

Forest and conservation workers must have a high school diploma or GED prior to beginning their employment. While no additional certification or education is necessary, obtaining a formal certificate or associate’s degree can make you a more competitive applicant for jobs. If you have an associate’s degree and several years of experience, you can become a forest technician, giving you additional job opportunities and higher wages.

Formal Training Programs in Massachusetts

Several community colleges in Massachusetts offer relevant natural resource management, forestry and wildlife programs. The following might be good choices for you if you choose to pursue formal training:

• Cape Cod Community College. At Cape Cod Community College, students can receive an associate’s degree in environmental technology, environmental studies or coastal zone management, an area of conservation particularly important to coastal Massachusetts. The school partners with dozens of universities, conservation groups and employers to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities.
• Greenfield Community College. Greenfield offers two relevant associate’s degree programs:environmental science and natural resources, and farm and food systems. Students can choose between a certificate and associate’s degree track in each of these majors. Internships help students connect their learning with current sustainability needs in the community.

Job and Salary Outlooks

The Projections Managing Partnership estimates that the job market for forest and conservation workers in Massachusetts will decline by 8.3 percent in the 10 years to 2026. However, jobs for forest technicians will likely increase by 6.7 percent during the same time period, making an associate’s degree in a related field a career move worth considering more strongly.

Forest and conservation workers in Massachusetts make an average of $46,700 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Forest technicians, meanwhile, make a slightly higher salary of $47,530 per year.

Finding a Forestry Job in Massachusetts

Forest and conservation workers can be employed on public or private lands. They may work in state, local and federal parks and forests overseen by these respective governments, and they can also find jobs at private farms, orchards, arbors and landscaping companies. These jobs can be found in rural or urban areas. In Massachusetts, Boston has the highest concentration of jobs available, though different types of jobs can be found throughout the state. Forest and conservation work is physically demanding but highly rewarding for those who are interested in protecting the environment and spending time in the great outdoors.