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Forester skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Dr. Becky A. Ball,
Paul Doruska
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical forester skills. We ranked the top skills for foresters based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 20.4% of forester resumes contained natural resources as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a forester needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 forester skills for your resume and career

1. Natural Resources

Natural resources are the natural elements of the environment that are useful to humans or that could be useful under conceivable technological, economic, or social circumstances or in resources derived from the earth. Resources such as food, construction and clothing materials, fertilizers, metals, water, and geothermal energy.

Here's how foresters use natural resources:
  • Support RRAD's Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and the Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan (INCRMP).
  • Used basic knowledge of natural resources to determine the above (20% of time).

2. Patrol

Here's how foresters use patrol:
  • Patrol distribution and transmission lines for Empire Electric in order to maintain the vegetation along them.
  • Patrol along PG&E distribution lines, analyzing various tree species that are growing near the lines.

3. Management Practices

Management practices usually refer to those working methods or innovations that managers use to improve the effectiveness of work systems for the growth of the organization. Examples of some common management practices include training of staff, empowering of staff, introducing different schemes geared towards improving quality, introducing various forms of new technology, etc.

Here's how foresters use management practices:
  • Perform aerial observation of logging operations to ensure Alabama's Best Management Practices for forestry are being utilized.
  • Conducted supplier verifications in accordance with Georgia Best Management Practices.

4. Vegetation Management

Vegetation management is a broad field that mainly focuses on overseeing vegetation in a particular area. It includes trimming and watering trees, controlling weed, applying growth regulators, and identifying and removing dead, unproductive, or hazardous trees. For example, a weak tree near electric lines could fall over it, proving to be very dangerous. In fact, healthy trees also pose this risk if they are situated near an electric supply. Vegetation management contains all the rules, regulations, and directives pertaining to hazardous trees and how vegetation should be managed in an area.

Here's how foresters use vegetation management:
  • Manage annual funding allocated for vegetation management activities.
  • Inspected for transmission line/structure safety, listed all vegetation management requirements, and a full audit on herbicide treatment contracts.

5. Management Plans

Management plans are outlined objectives to complete for a specific project. This may include everything from assigning responsibilities to employees to timelines for individual objectives. Depending on the size of the project, management plans may include milestone objectives, which are smaller goals to reach within the project as a whole and may also have separate timelines.

Here's how foresters use management plans:
  • Assisted non-industrial forest landowners with management activities through educational workshops, management plans, and cost-share activities.
  • Created & implemented land management plans for private landowners by delivering economic analysis, financial models.

6. Inspection Results

Inspection Results are provided after inspecting and analyzing a structure for various defects, including whether a home is ready to be occupied or sold. There may also be inspection results during construction to ensure the structure abides by local zoning, electrical, and plumbing regulations. Without satisfactory inspection results, the structure may need additional work before continuing construction or becoming occupied.

Here's how foresters use inspection results:
  • Submit inspection results to clients with recommendations.

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7. GIS

A geographic information system (GIS) is a tool for capturing, storing, manipulating, analyzing, managing and presenting various forms of geographic data.

Here's how foresters use gis:
  • Maintained security clearance with responsibility for managing and inspecting vegetation at pole facilities for Geographic Information System (GIS) errors.
  • Utilized the field data to develop various management maps using ARC Map GIS program.
Select Skills To Add To Your Resume

8. Harvest

Here's how foresters use harvest:
  • Prepared annual harvest schedule, prescribed site preparation and reforestation activities, and monitored boundary line maintenance program.
  • Cruised timber*Flagged clear-cut harvest units*GPS work on property boundaries

9. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how foresters use data collection:
  • Oversee operational research, review plans, supervise study installations and biomass data collections with current vegetation sampling protocols.
  • Experienced with a variety of field data collection devices and inventory field equipment.

10. Contract Compliance

Here's how foresters use contract compliance:
  • Completed property inspections with landowners and contractors to ground-proof and document yearly forest management activities and ensure contract compliance.
  • Audited vegetation treatment contract compliance.

11. ISA

Here's how foresters use isa:
  • Completed risk assessments and prescribed mitigation according to ISA Standards.
  • Identified hazard trees using ISA principles.

12. Growth Rates

Here's how foresters use growth rates:
  • Assess vegetation to avoid conflict with overhead conductors and wires based on species, age and growth rates of vegetation.
  • Determined required pruning or removal based on clearance, species, growth rates and overall health of vegetation.

13. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how foresters use customer service:
  • Resolved customer service issues and served as a liaison for homeowners and land agencies.
  • Responded to customer service calls including complaints and work refusal.

14. Utility Lines

Here's how foresters use utility lines:
  • Work with utility companies inspecting trees and brush along utility lines.
  • Conduct field inspections for right-of-way tree maintenance on utility lines.

15. GPS

GPS stands from Global Positioning System. It is a navigation system comprising of satellites that helps in determining the location, velocity, and synchronize time data for different modes of travel like air, sea, or land.

Here's how foresters use gps:
  • Map use, GPS, and cardinal direction were also a major part of the job.
  • Use GPS equipment and work in a team to survey extensive areas for signs of infestations.
top-skills

What skills help Foresters find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on Forester resumes?

D

Dr. Becky A. Ball

Associate Professor, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences Senior Sustainability Scientist, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University

The environmental field is very broad, so the skills that stand out best depend on the career field, but in general, the skills I see most frequently listed on job ads are skills in geographic spatial analysis (GIS), statistical analyses and data handling, hands-on experience with field techniques for working with plants and wildlife, and experience with NEPA and other related environmental regulations. (That's why we have built all of these skills directly into our Environmental Science degree coursework!)

What soft skills should all Foresters possess?

Paul Doruska

Professor of Forest Measurements & Forestry Discipline Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Awareness/Adherence to equity, diversity, inclusion, communicating (written, oral, electronic, social media), listening, teamwork, ethics, adaptability (especially to changing technology), conflict resolution, lifelong dedication to continuing education (As the world of forestry is forever changing) and dedication to continued certifications - (all of those above and then post-graduate certifications such as Society of American Foresters Certified Forester, Certified Park and Recreation Professional, Real Estate/Appraisals (unfortunately don't know the correct titling here off the top of my head) and the list goes on... Willingness to network through professional organizations (Society of American foresters, Parks and Recreation Association, Society for ecological restoration, International Society of Arboriculture, the list goes on...); multitasking to make most efficient use of one's time.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Foresters?

Paul Doruska

Professor of Forest Measurements & Forestry Discipline Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Geographic Information Systems, forest inventory, finance, silviculture, developing and defending sound management plans in one's chosen area of forestry (forest management, recreation, urban and community forestry, or Ecosystem Restoration and Management are the areas here at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point)

What Forester skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Dan Ferreira Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Environmental Science, Kennesaw State University

I think the best advice I can offer recent graduates is to be as flexible as possible. Being willing to relocate, for example, vastly expands the number of potential jobs they can apply to. Applying for positions that might not be exactly where they want to go, but might give them the experience or skills they need to get to their desired career after a year or two also will help open more doors. So if you can't find your ideal job right away, consider that internship or volunteer opportunity that will make you more marketable in the future.

What technical skills for a Forester stand out to employers?

Patrick Hiesl Ph.D.Patrick Hiesl Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Professor of Forest Operations, Clemson University

The one skill that repeatedly is asked for by employers is a working knowledge of spreadsheets, and in many cases the use of pivot tables. Forestry includes a lot of number crunching and spreadsheets really help to organize and streamline that process. Other technical skills include a solid foundation in timber cruising techniques, both on paper, and with digital data recorders. While nobody expects new employees to be familiar with all technology, employers are looking for people that can easily adapt to new tools and build on their existing skills.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about Forester

List of forester skills to add to your resume

Forester Skills

The most important skills for a forester resume and required skills for a forester to have include:

  • Natural Resources
  • Patrol
  • Management Practices
  • Vegetation Management
  • Management Plans
  • Inspection Results
  • GIS
  • Harvest
  • Data Collection
  • Contract Compliance
  • ISA
  • Growth Rates
  • Customer Service
  • Utility Lines
  • GPS
  • Forests
  • Computer Programs
  • Hand-Held Computer
  • Technical Assistance
  • Nepa
  • Government Agencies
  • Customer Complaints
  • Tree Species
  • State Agencies
  • ATV
  • International Society
  • Public Agencies
  • Mowing
  • Tree Identification
  • Transmission Lines
  • Educational Programs
  • SFI
  • Timber Stand Improvement
  • Road Construction
  • Private Lands
  • Federal Agencies
  • Timber Management
  • FSC
  • Site Preparation
  • Boundary Lines
  • Firefighting
  • Utility Right-of-Ways

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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