THE PROFESSIONAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION OF 



THE TECHNICAL FORESTER AS SEEN BY THE 



FORESTER IN SWITZERLAND 



Translated from La Forestiere, 1^14 



By R. H. Campbell^ 



A Swiss forester devotes his activity exclusively to the service 

 of the state, or to the communes, that is, to public administra- 

 tion. Private forests are of entirely local importance and so 

 small that there is not a single proprietor who can by himself 

 use a manager. Further, Swiss foresters are limited almost ex- 

 clusively to employment in their own country. There are scarcely 

 twenty men who during the last thirty years have found per- 

 manent occupation in foreign countries. It is a completely er- 

 roneous idea, although widespread, to believe that our young 

 foresters can find advantageous positions outside of the country. 



It is necessary to remember that in order to be eligible for 

 any forestry post whatever in the country every technical for- 

 ester has to undergo a state examination at the end of long pro- 

 fessional study. 



The engineer, the architect and the chemist do not have to un- 

 dergo a similar obligation, and it can be said that the whole world 

 is open to them for the exercise of their profession, but let it 

 be well understood there is nothing of deprivation for the Swiss 

 forester in the fact that he is called to work exclusively in his 

 native land. But it seems that in all equity the public and the 

 state ought to recognize him as in a position corresponding to 

 his scientific culture, to his activity, which should be equal to 

 that of the representatives of the three professions above cited. 

 For it is altogether too simple to seek to settle the question by 

 repeating to the forester in every tone : "A beautiful profession, 

 yours, and how healthy it ought to be, always running about in 

 the woods!" Healthy assuredly, but above all for those who 

 are strong. On this subject one often hears singular theories. 

 Some parents imagine that if their son, who is of a weak con- 

 stitution, could become a forester, his health would become bet- 



^ Director, Forestry Branch, Ottawa, Canada. 



61 



