Hey guys, I’m wondering if anyone here is a forest consultant? I am considering pursuing a career in forestry and would like any knowledge you have to offer. If so, please send me a pm. Thanks!!

Go to Paul Smith’s College!

I know the foresters in western Washington are swamped with work, even in the current economic situation.

A forester here lays out timber harvest areas, submits harvest permit application, consults with the State DNR, and cruises timber (calculates timber volume).

The forester I work with charges $80 and hour from the time he leaves his home until he arrives back home. He's booked months out. If you add a geotech label to forester add another $20+ an hour to that $80, and the good ones are booked out until August

I’m a procurement forester for a sawmill, and before that a couple of pulp/paper mills...I buy standing timber and delivered logs. Not exactly a consultant, but in the same vein....forestry has been very good to me so far. I graduated from the Auburn University School of Forestry.

Go to SUNY ESF Ranger School at Wanakena!!

Make sure you understand what a forester does. I started that many years ago, but switched to land surveyor. Back then jobs were hard to get and pay was low. Things are different now.

funny you mention that eb - "half" the surveyors I worked with at my last firm had degrees in forestry

X2. But as a consultant Forester, if I had to do it over, I’d go with surveying way more money.

I was self-employed for about 10 years as a consultant. There are some definite barriers to entry but the work can be good. It took away my ambition to do much hunting because that seemed like another day at work or I felt like I should be working while hunting.

Waggler’s foresters are likely busy because many people view their forests as a bank account that they will use when things tighten up. Even with depressed markets people don’t tend to care, they just want the money. They really don’t care about the forest and will gladly liquidate it in exchange for money. At least, that is the somewhat cynical view I came away with from that time.

Ave, Paul Smiths College is in northern NY. Well known for it's Forestry program.

If you like long days of physical labor, with little pay, in a highly oversaturated field. Go for it. I graduated in 08 with my BS in Forestry and 09 with my MS in Forest Mgmt. It was a difficult time to be looking for a job for sure. Most folks took part time work when they could. Feds offered temporary and term positions (often paid for by grant money). I didn't want a term position because they could have money this week and none the next. If looking to go federal or state, there is a lot of competition for the jobs. I worked for the IL DNR, was head sawyer and mill operator at a mill, and finally worked for a private forestry consultant company before I got my Federal Job. Private sector is the way to go if you want to get into that field. I highly suggest you minor in something other than forestry. Thankfully, I had something else to fall back on with my LEO experience and a minor in Admin of Justice.

I agree with your cynical view. My experience has been, most Forest landowners at first are all concerned with proper management. Then once the money starts flowing they just want to squeeze the Forest for all it’s worth.

There are two angles of forestry;

1) Government and large corporations. In my opinion those jobs value degrees and credentials over practical knowledge.

2) Small firms or self employment offer more interesting work and your income is directly commensurate with your level of effort.

Are you willing to relocate? If not, is there a healthy timber industry in Ohio? I picture that part of the Country as primarily small plots of timberland, maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe community college courses would be most appropriate. University types of education nowadays seem to be very specifically targeted to a particular academic discipline and don't seem to offer much to someone who wants to be out in the woods rather than in a cubicle.

Learn how to:
Cruise timber
Navigate (maps, compass, GPS, mapping programs, etc)
Draft maps
Write proposals
Read regulations and government code books
Study harvest and environmental regulations for the area you intend to work
Talk to loggers in your region and become aware of various logging practices and the economics of those practices
Learn what effects log markets for the species in your area

If you are willing to learn the above items you will be well along your way to being a real forester. I can't really think of a University that can teach you all of those things.

Urban forestry/arborist is the way to go if you want to stay in forestry field.

pm sent.