Forestry professionals
Career Overview
Forestry professionals carry out research, develop plans and administer programs related to the management and harvesting of forest resources.
People in this career work for the forest industry, provincial and federal governments, consulting companies, educational institutions or other industries, or may be self-employed.
Job Titles
Duties
Forestry professionals:
- Plan and direct forest surveys and related studies, and prepare reports on findings, conclusions and recommendations
- Create short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources
- Plan and direct: woodlands harvesting; road building; and programs for reforestation, silviculture, fire prevention and suppression, wildlife management, environmental protection, and insect and vegetation control
- Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and the leasing of forest lands
- Oversee contract compliance and results of forestry activities
- Ensure adherence to government regulations and forest company goals
- Plan and carry out public relations programs and education and extension programs related to forestry
- Create and oversee programs for tree seedling production and woodlands nursery operations
- Carry out research in the areas of tree improvement, nursery seedling production, forest soils, forest ecology, forest surveys, forest operations and other areas
- Provide advice, recommendations and other consultative services about forestry matters to private woodlot owners, municipal, provincial or federal governments, or forest companies
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,220% Employed Full Time
70%Key aspects of work in this occupation:
- Work is typically performed either in a structured environment, such as an office, or in an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to many different weather conditions
- Examples of work done outdoors may include operating power saws to thin and space trees, conducting site inspections of forestry operations, and repairing roads
Career Pathways
With experience, mobility is possible to management positions in government and industry.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree in forestry or forestry engineering is required
- Certification as a forester or forest engineer by provincially chartered associations is required in provinces having such associations
- A two-year practicum of supervised work experience and professional examinations are usually required before registration
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Forestry Related
- Forestry/Resource Management Related
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations and the environment will affect outcomes.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,220Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 440 | 19.8% |
| Kootenay | 185 | 8.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 290 | 13.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 260 | 11.7% |
| Northeast | 40 | 1.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 480 | 21.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 530 | 23.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
790Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 140 | -0.3% |
| Kootenay | 90 | 0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 80 | -0.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 130 | 1.3% |
| Northeast | 10 | -0.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 150 | -0.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 180 | 0.4% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 310 |
| Forestry, Logging and Support Activities | 260 |
| Public Administration | 120 |
| Manufacturing | 70 |
| Educational Services | 10 |
Resources
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Forest Professionals BC – Job Centrewww.fpbc.ca/job/
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Forest Professionals BCwww.fpbc.ca/
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B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Developmentwww.gov.bc.ca/forests
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Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF)www.cif-ifc.org
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Truck Loggers Association (TLA) – Links to Jobs in Forestrywww.tla.ca/career
Career Videos
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a forestry professional.
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a forestry professional.
