Forest Officer

Typical Salary

£19,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

41 to 43 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays flexibly

How To Become a Forest Officer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship

College / University

You'll usually need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a relevant subject, like:

arboriculture
countryside management
forest management
forestry
woodland ecology and conservation

1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree in a releva

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include:

Level 2 Certificate in Forestry and Arboriculture
Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through an arborist or forest operative intermediate apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to use your initiative
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
leadership skills
knowledge of geography
the ability to work well with others
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
knowledge of maths
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties could include:

managing a budget
carrying out a business plan
reporting to the head forester
planning work to be carried out by staff and contractors
managing maintenance of machinery and equipment
keeping accurate work records
making sure health and safety policies are followed
surveying and inspecting trees and sites
selecting and marking up timber to be harvested
planning, monitoring and evaluating habitat management work

Working Environment

You could work in a park, in an office or in woodland.

Your working environment may be physically demanding, outdoors in all weathers and you may spend nights away from home.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could move into consultancy work or a university research role.

You may also be able to apply for chartered environmentalist status. You can find out more about being a chartered environmentalist from the Society for the Environment.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

Most employers will expect you to have 2 to 3 years' woodland experience to become a forestry officer.

Professional and industry bodies

You could apply for membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, which may help with your career prospects and professional development.

Further information

You can find more advice about careers and training in forestry through the Royal Forestry Society and The Arboricultural Association.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be able to cope with working at height

You may need a driving licence and access to a vehicle to reach forest and woodland areas.

You may also need the certificates of competence for your work like chainsaw use, chipper use or operation of specialist equipment like a tree harvester.