CAREERS IN FORESTRY 3 



A list of the forestry schools in the United States can be obtained 

 from the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, 

 D.C. 20250. In most cases a 4-year course is offered, leading to a 

 degree of Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Several universities provide 

 graduate instruction leading to Master of Forestry and doctorate de- 

 grees. As a Government agency, the Forest Service cannot express an 

 opinion as to the relative merits of the schools or their courses. In- 

 formation concerning entrance requirements, tuition, etc., can be 

 obtained directly from the institution. 



Women in Forestry 



Throughout its development as an important field of natural resource 

 conservation, applied forestry has been typically associated with rig- 

 orous outdoor work. The work performed in the National Forests 

 may be both arduous and hazardous. Extended periods of duty in 

 remote areas where primitive living conditions persist are not uncom- 

 mon. Foresters are often called upon to live together in barracks- 

 type quarters without provision for private accommodations. There 

 are stringent physical demands on an individual, and for this reason 

 most of these positions are sought by men. 



Some women who have attained a technical background in forestry 

 have pursued rewarding careers in forestry research, educational, or 

 library work. Others interested in conservation and related fields have 

 been trained in personnel, fiscal, or administrative management work. 

 Thus, should a woman seek a career in forestry, her aims might be 

 best channeled toward specialized research, education, or administra- 

 tive fields rather than the actual technology of applied forestry. 



In the nontechnical field, many women are employed in forestry 

 agencies as secretaries, stenographers, clerks, draftsmen, etc.; and as a 

 result of experience and special aptitudes, some have risen to impor- 

 tant positions. 



CHARACTER OF FORESTRY WORK 



Many persons still have only a vague idea of the kind of life the 

 forester really leads. Young men are often attracted to the profession 

 because of the prospect of outdoor work. They are fond of hunting 

 and fishing and camping in the open. 



One who is considering such a career should remember that the 

 forester in his fieldwork sometimes must endure hardships that sports- 

 men do not experience. Spending considerable time in the woods as 

 part of one's regular business — often in remote mountainous areas — is 

 quite different from camping out for a few weeks on a vacation. 



A variety of tasks usually greets the forester on his first job. He 

 may be involved in such work as cruising or marking timber, making 

 range surveys, reforestation of cutover or abandoned farmlands, and 

 possibly in planting or conservation work in soil erosion or flood con- 

 trol areas. During his apprenticeship he is certain to be used on a 

 number of different tasks in which his technical skill and ingenuity 

 are put to test. If he shows outstanding ability, the young forester 

 may find the apprenticeship period a short one, although as the num- 

 ber of foresters increases and competition becomes more intense, the 

 training period may be expected to lengthen. 



