How to Become a Forest and Wildlife Conservation Worker in Michigan

If you love being outdoors, don’t mind challenging and physical work, and you want to contribute to the health and sustainability of natural spaces, consider learning how to become a forest and conservation worker. Michigan is a great state to join this career with many forests, including those owned and managed by either the federal or state government.

As a forestry worker you will be supervised by a forester or a forest and conservation technician. Your duties may include planting seedlings for reforesting, clearing debris from campsites and trails, identifying sick and diseased trees, building breaks to prevent forest fires, and treating or felling diseased and damaged trees.

How to Become a Forest Worker

In Michigan there are no specific requirements for beginning a career as a forest and conservation worker. There is no certification or licensing, and you do not have to have a specific post-secondary degree. What you should have before you seek your first position is a high school diploma or GED and a willingness to learn on the job. Forest workers are generally hired and then trained, so you don’t need to have specific skills. However, you should be able to use heavy equipment, do physically-demanding work and be on your feet all day.

Forestry and Conservation Programs in Michigan

There is no requirement in this career to have a degree or any other type of post-secondary education. However, it will make you more desirable as a job candidate and help you do the work better if you have some background knowledge. Consider earning a two-year degree or a certificate or diploma in forestry or a related field.

• Gogebic Community College, Ironwood and Houghton. With two campuses in the heavily forested Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Gogebic is a great place to earn an associate’s degree in forestry technology. With this 66-credit, two-year program you will be in an excellent position to be hired as a forest worker, but you will also be qualified to work as a forestry technician. This degree can also be a jumping-off point to earning a four-year forestry degree.
• Michigan State University, East Lansing. If you do feel ready to take your career in forests and conservation to the next level, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in forestry at Michigan State. This degree program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters and will prepare you for leadership roles in forestry and conservation. It takes about four years to complete full-time.

Salary Expectations and Job Outlook

The median hourly and average salaries for forest and conservation workers across the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are $13.20 and $27,460, respectively. In Michigan, this is much higher, with averages at $20.05 per hour and $41,710 per year, and top earners in this career making more than $60,000.

The overall job outlook for this career is that it is shrinking. Nationally, the career is declining by about two percent, but in Michigan it is even. There are about 20 openings per year for forest workers in the state and approximately 60 for forest technicians.

Working in Forestry in Michigan

Michigan is home to a lot of forested land, much of it managed by the government. When looking for your first job here, the federal or state government forests are the most likely places to find work. Start you search with the government but also consider non-profit groups, private employers, and orchards and tree farms. Rural areas, those with more forested areas and less developed land are the best places to begin looking for and starting your new career in forestry.