Forest and Conservation Workers

Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect forest, forested areas, and woodlands through such activities as raising and transporting tree seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to trees; and building erosion and water control structures and leaching of forest soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, and tree planters.

Job Task

• Sort and separate tree seedlings, discarding substandard seedlings, according to standard charts and verbal instructions.
• Spray or inject vegetation with insecticides to kill insects and to protect against disease, and with herbicides to reduce competing vegetation.
• Thin and space trees, using power thinning saws.
• Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
• Confer with other workers to discuss issues such as safety, cutting heights, and work needs.
• Erect signs and fences, using posthole diggers, shovels, or other hand tools.
• Explain and enforce regulations regarding camping, vehicle use, fires, use of building and sanitation.
• Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
• Maintain campsites and recreational areas, replenishing firewood and other supplies, and cleaning kitchens and restrooms.
• Operate a skidder, bulldozer or other prime mover to pull a variety of scarification or site preparation equipment over areas to be regenerated.
• Provide assistance to forest survey crews by clearing site-lines, holding measuring tools, and setting stakes.
• Sow and harvest cover crops such as alfalfa.
• Gather, package, and deliver forest products to buyers.
• Drag cut trees from cutting areas and load trees onto trucks.
• Examine and grade trees according to standard charts, and staple color-coded grade tags to limbs.
• Identify diseased or undesirable trees, and remove them, using power saws or hand saws.
• Maintain tallies of trees examined and counted during tree marking and measuring efforts.
• Perform fire protection and suppression duties such as constructing fire breaks and disposing of brush.
• Prune or shear tree tops and limbs in order to control growth, increase density, and improve shape.
• Select and cut trees according to markings or sizes, types, and grades.
• Select tree seedlings, prepare the ground, and plant the trees in reforestation areas, using manual planting tools.

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