Aforestismorethanjustitstrees.Itisacompleteecosystem—aplaceforwildlife,cleanair,andcleanwater.Itisaplacecontrolledbysunlight,precipitation,temperature,andsoilfertility.Itisaplacesometimesdisturbedbynaturalforcessuchasweather,insectinfestation,ortreedisease.Or,disturbedbyhumanactivitiessuchasloggingorlandclearing.Keepingourforestshealthyisabigjob—severalbigjobs,infact!Eachoftheseprofessionalshasacareerinforestry.Together,theireffortshelpsustainour forests.
KenPrice
Forest Technician
Vancouver Island,BritishColumbia,Canada
Iworkwithforestersandforestengineerstomaintain forestland.
Aforestistrulyarenewableresource.Andit’smorethancuttingatreeinto logs.
MymainresponsibilityistomanagetherelationshipsbetweenmycompanyandFirstNations—theindigenouspeoplesinCanada.Indigenouspeoplearetheoriginalownersandcaretakersofagivenregion.PartnershipswithFirstNationsrangefrombuyinglumbertomanagingforeststooutreachprogramsforFirst Nations.
ImyselfamK’ómoksFirstNation.Iamthankfulforapositionthatallowsmetocombinemyethnicitywithmyexperienceandknowledgeinforestry.Igettobepartofanexcitingshiftinhowourforestsaremanagedforthebettermentofourindustryandourlocal communities.
CoeliHoover
Carbon Modeler
Durham,New Hampshire
Iworkwithforestownerstomeasurethecarbonbeingstoredina forest.
Forestsplayareallyimportantroleintheglobalcarbonandclimatecycles.Treesandplantsabsorb,ortakein,thegascarbondioxide.Theyreleaseoxygenandstorecarbon.Thecarbonbecomespartoftheplantandisstoredaswood.Helpingpeopleunderstandhowtohelptheirforestsmaintainorincreasecarbonstoragecanmakeapositivedifferenceforthehealthofourforestsandour climate.
WhenI’mreallylucky,Igettospendtimeoutside.Imeasuretreesorchecktoseeifmapsareaccurate.Icanalsousedatafromtreemeasurementstoestimatehowmuchcarbonisstoredina forest.
Rightnow,I’mdevelopingsometoolstohelpforestownersestimatehowmuchcarbonisintheirforests.It’sagreatfeelingwhenIcanhelpalandownermovefromthinking,“Thisistoohard!”to“Oh,Icando that!”
MagenDufurrenarappelsoutofahelicoptertofighta fire.
MagenDufurrena
Wildland Firefighter
La Grande, Oregon
Myjobistohelpprotectandmaintainthehealthoftheforestbypreventing,controlling,andputtingout wildfires.
Irappeloutofhelicopterstofightforestfires.Myjobisveryunpredictable,andIneedtobereadyatamoment’snotice.Firescanbejustatenthofanacretothousandsofacresinsize.Theycanberightnexttoaroadordeepinthe wilderness.
Whensmokeisreported,myteamgetsbriefedonthefireactivity,location,andweather.Thisinformationaffectshowwefightthefire.Wemakeourplanstoputoutthefirewhilemakingsurewearesafe.Rappellingfromahelicopterallowsustogettoafirequickly.Onceontheground,therearemanywayswecanbegintofightthefire.Workingasateamisessential.It’sourjobtohelplookafterthesebeautifulplacesandkeeppeople safe.
