CAREERS IN FORESTRY J7 



Extension Foresters 



Forestry extension work is another field in which professional for- 

 esters find employment in the States in the capacity of extension for- 

 esters. These men are associated with the Federal-State cooperative 

 extension program, which emphasizes the use of technical information 

 and practices in the growing and management of timber as a crop 

 on the farm. Every effort is made to build up the forestry knowledge 

 of woodland owners so that they will have sufficient know-how for 

 carrying on work in this field as they do with other crops. This is 

 accomplished by providing owners with practical forestry information, 

 and by conducting tours to forestry research units and successful oper- 

 ations of individual owners. 



Service Foresters 



At present 49 State forestry departments are working with the For- 

 est Service in providing technical assistance to owners of private for- 

 ests and to small sawmill operators and other processors of primary 

 forest products. The Cooperative Forest Management Act of 1950, 

 which replaced earlier legislation under which the work started, is the 

 basis for this cooperative program. In 1965, technical assistance in 

 woodland management was given to approximately 100,000 small 

 owners, and 9,200 forest products operators were helped with plant 

 and woods problems. 



Both farm and nonfarm owners of small forests are now given help 

 in making simple plans for the management of their woodlands; in 

 marking the trees in need of cutting; in measuring these trees and 

 estimating their volume; in determining the proper cutting and logging 

 methods to use in the harvesting operation; and in marketing the har- 

 vested products. In addition, many owners are advised on planting, 

 thinning, and pruning operations, as well as on the protection of their 

 forests from fire, insects, and disease. The local forester who handles 

 this cooperative forest management project work is called the service 

 forester. In some localities, however, he is referred to as the farm 

 forester, county forester, or district forester. 



Community Forests 



A new field of employment for trained foresters is opening up 

 through the development of community public forests by counties, 

 municipalities, school districts, and other local government units or 

 public institutions. Some of the town forests in New England were 

 the earliest public forests in the United States and have yielded finan- 

 cial returns and other benefits to the communities for more than two 

 centuries. In recent years the number of community forests has in- 

 creased greatly. 



The latest available reports have shown more than 3,600 commu- 

 nity forests aggregating about 4V2 million acres in 40 States. Of the 

 total, 800,000 acres were maintained by municipalities, 3V2 million 

 acres by counties and townships, 160,000 acres by schools or school 

 districts; and 40,000 acres by other organizations. 



In addition to parks for recreational purposes and purchases of for- 

 ested watersheds for the protection of sources of domestic water sup- 

 plies, many cities and counties are acquiring forest lands for investment 



