Forestry inspector
Also known as: chief forestry inspector, forestry operations inspector, forestry operations compliance inspector, arboriculture inspector, forestry operations monitor, forestry assessor
About this occupation
Forestry inspectors monitor forestry operations to ensure that workers and their activities comply with proper legislation and standards. They perform inspections to examine operations, wages, costs and health and safety measures. Forestry inspectors also analyse and report on their findings.
Essential skills and knowledge
- monitor work site
- conduct environmental surveys
- communicate health and safety measures
- environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry
- undertake inspections
- ensure compliance with legal requirements
- maintain forest inventory
- analyse business processes
- forestry regulations
- health, safety and hygiene legislation
- write work-related reports
- enforce sanitation procedures
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists (O*NET 33-2022.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
- Conduct wildland firefighting training.
- Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
- Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
- Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
- Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 3 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Critical Thinking, Speaking, Coordination, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving
US median pay: US$56,870 a year (2025), 2,780 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementVery important (4.0)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentVery important (3.5)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (3.5)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.5)
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.2)
- Media StudiesO*NET: Communications and MediaImportant (3.2)
- GeographyO*NET: GeographyImportant (3.1)
- Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
- Firefighters
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
- Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Foresters
- Emergency Management Directors
- Range Managers
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.