A forest is more than just its trees. It is a complete ecosystem—a place for wildlife, clean air, and clean water. It is a place controlled by sunlight, precipitation, temperature, and soil fertility. It is a place sometimes disturbed by natural forces such as weather, insect infestation, or tree disease. Or, disturbed by human activities such as logging or land clearing. Keeping our forests healthy is a big job—several big jobs, in fact! Each of these professionals has a career in forestry. Together, their efforts help sustain our forests.
Ken Price
Forest Technician
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
I work with foresters and forest engineers to maintain forestland.
A forest is truly a renewable resource. And it’s more than cutting a tree into logs.
My main responsibility is to manage the relationships between my company and First Nations—the indigenous peoples in Canada. Indigenous people are the original owners and caretakers of a given region. Partnerships with First Nations range from buying lumber to managing forests to outreach programs for First Nations.
I myself am K’ómoks First Nation. I am thankful for a position that allows me to combine my ethnicity with my experience and knowledge in forestry. I get to be part of an exciting shift in how our forests are managed for the betterment of our industry and our local communities.
Coeli Hoover
Carbon Modeler
Durham, New Hampshire
I work with forest owners to measure the carbon being stored in a forest.
Forests play a really important role in the global carbon and climate cycles. Trees and plants absorb, or take in, the gas carbon dioxide. They release oxygen and store carbon. The carbon becomes part of the plant and is stored as wood. Helping people understand how to help their forests maintain or increase carbon storage can make a positive difference for the health of our forests and our climate.
When I’m really lucky, I get to spend time outside. I measure trees or check to see if maps are accurate. I can also use data from tree measurements to estimate how much carbon is stored in a forest.
Right now, I’m developing some tools to help forest owners estimate how much carbon is in their forests. It’s a great feeling when I can help a landowner move from thinking, “This is too hard!” to “Oh, I can do that!”
Magen Dufurrena rappels out of a helicopter to fight a fire.
Magen Dufurrena
Wildland Firefighter
La Grande, Oregon
My job is to help protect and maintain the health of the forest by preventing, controlling, and putting out wildfires.
I rappel out of helicopters to fight forest fires. My job is very unpredictable, and I need to be ready at a moment’s notice. Fires can be just a tenth of an acre to thousands of acres in size. They can be right next to a road or deep in the wilderness.
When smoke is reported, my team gets briefed on the fire activity, location, and weather. This information affects how we fight the fire. We make our plans to put out the fire while making sure we are safe. Rappelling from a helicopter allows us to get to a fire quickly. Once on the ground, there are many ways we can begin to fight the fire. Working as a team is essential. It’s our job to help look after these beautiful places and keep people safe.
