Powerful Geography
Urban Forester

Urban Forester

Urban Forester

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Physical Geography
Secondary Topic: Environment and Society

Overview: Urban foresters are a type of forester who specialize in maintaining and preserving trees in cities. Foresters supervise activities around forest conservation, prepares sties for new trees, manage forest regeneration, participate in fire suppression, and determine how to remove timber with minimal damage. Urban foresters manage urban tress in larger cities. They work on urban issues including quality of life, air quality, shade, and storm runoff. Urban foresters take samples of local tress, help with the management and creation of local parks, as well as recommend the removal or cutting back of trees for environmental management. While many will have office work, a portion of their time is spent outdoors monitoring urban trees. Urban foresters mostly work for local governments, but they can work for environmental organizations or contractors. As cities continue to expand, this field will continue to grow in the next decade.

Geographers at work: Environmental geographers, Physical geographers, GIS and Remote Sensing Specialists

Recommended College Courses: Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Advanced GIS, Remote Sensing, Introduction to Physical Geography, Environmental Management, Introduction in Environmental Geography, Natural Resource Use and Management, Regional Field Studies, Landscape Biogeography, Parks and Protected Places, Remote Sensing and Earth Observation, Cities and Urban Design

Skills: GIS, Remote sensing, Geospatial technology, Resource management, Quantitative and field methods, Environmental Mapping and modeling, Field methods, Location and landscape analysis

Occupation Group: Life, Physical, and Social Science

Learn more about Urban Forester from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm#tab-2

Written by Alisa Hartsell