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AgricultureCritical OccupationOccupation identified by industry partners as critical to business success.Climate CriticalOne of the 20 occupation classifications Colorado identified as essential to meeting the state's climate goals and needing focused workforce investment.

Forester

Manage public and private forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. May inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, appraise the timber's worth, negotiate the purchase, and draw up contracts for procurement. May determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creek beds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. May devise plans for planting and growing new trees, monitor trees for healthy growth, and determine optimal harvesting schedules.

Annual openings

27

Median wage

$76,400

Typical education

Bachelor's degree with some jobs requiring a degree from a program certified by the American Society of Foresters.

Growth 2026–2032

+11%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

Bachelor's degree with some jobs requiring a degree from a program certified by the American Society of Foresters.

Credential requirement

Credential requirements not reported

Work experience

No previous work experience is required, though experience as a Forest Technician or with the Conservation Corps is valued.

Employer competency information

  • Refer above to the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities information. Good communication and teamwork skills are important for most Natural Resources jobs.
A lot more information, including opportunities to explore jobs and gain experience, are at Green Pathways under "The Field of Forestry" and "The Field of Land Management".
There are opportunities to advance to managing an entire national forest!
Forestry jobs include recreation specialists, fire and fuels managers, environmental/land use planners, and conservation, watershed, and wildlife managers.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Automation exposure

Low exposure

Tasks here lean on judgement and people skills that are hard to automate.

A typical day

  1. Monitor contract compliance and results of forestry activities to assure adherence to government regulations.
  2. Negotiate terms and conditions of agreements and contracts for forest harvesting, forest management and leasing of forest lands.
  3. Plan and implement projects for conservation of wildlife habitats and soil and water quality.
  4. Establish short- and long-term plans for management of forest lands and forest resources.
  5. Plan cutting programs and manage timber sales from harvested areas, assisting companies to achieve production goals.
  6. Perform inspections of forests or forest nurseries.
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