Forest worker
Also known as: forest workers, forestry worker, silviculture worker, woodland assistant, woodland worker, forestry assistant
About this occupation
Forest workers carry out a variety of jobs to care for and manage trees, woodland areas and forests. Their activities include include planting, trimming, thinning and felling trees and protecting them from pests, diseases and damage.
Essential skills and knowledge
- maintain forestry equipment
- perform weed control operations
- maintain trails
- carry out aerial tree rigging
- climb trees
- have a high level of safety awareness
- plant green plants
- perform tree thinning
- perform pest control
- assist forest survey crew
- put up signs
- control tree diseases
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Forest and Conservation Workers (O*NET 45-4011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
- Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
- Perform fire protection or suppression duties, such as constructing fire breaks or disposing of brush.
- Confer with other workers to discuss issues, such as safety, cutting heights, or work needs.
- Maintain tallies of trees examined and counted during tree marking or measuring efforts.
- Explain or enforce regulations regarding camping, vehicle use, fires, use of buildings, or sanitation.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning
US median pay: US$43,680 a year (2025), 6,050 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).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.5)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.2)
- GeographyO*NET: GeographyImportant (3.0)
- Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyImportant (3.0)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (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 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
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.
- Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Foresters
- Range Managers
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
- Conservation Scientists
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Agricultural Technicians
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.