Aforestismorethanjustitstrees.Itisacompleteecosystemwithwildlife,cleanair,andcleanwater.Itisaplacecontrolledbysunlight,rainfall,temperature,andsoil.Itissometimesdisturbedbynaturalforceslikeweather,insects,ortreedisease.Humanactivitiessuchasloggingorlandclearingcanalsodisturbawoodedarea.Keepingourforestshealthyisabigjob—manybigjobs,infact!Eachofthesepeoplehaveacareerinforestry.Theireffortshelpsustainour forests.
KenPrice
Forest Technician
Vancouver Island,
BritishColumbia, Canada
Iworkwithforesterstomaintain forestland.
Aforestisarenewableresource.Whatgrowstherecangrowagain.MymainresponsibilityistomanagethetiesbetweenmycompanyandFirstNations—theindigenouspeoplesinCanada.Indigenouspeoplearetheoriginalinhabitantsofthisregion.OurpartnershipsrangefrombuyinglumbertomanagingforeststooutreachprogramsforFirstNations people.
ImyselfamK’ómoksFirstNation.Iamthankfulthatmyworkallowsmetocombinemyheritagewithmyexperienceinforestry.Wearemanagingourforestsaswellaslifeinthelocal communities.
CoeliHoover
Carbon Modeler
Durham,New Hampshire
Iworkwithforestowners
tomeasurethecarbon being
storedina forest.
Forestsplayahugeroleintheglobalcarboncycle.Treesandplantsabsorb,ortakein,thegascarbondioxide.Theyreleaseoxygenandstorecarbon.Thecarbonbecomespartofthetreesandisstoredinwood.Helpingpeopleunderstandhowtohelptheirforestsmaintainorincreasecarbonstoragecanmakeadifferenceinthe world.
Inmyjob,Imeasuretrees.Icanusetreemeasurementstoestimatehowmuchcarbonisstoredin a forest.
Rightnow,I’mdevelopingsometoolstohelpforestownersestimatehowmuchcarbonisintheirforests.It’sagreatfeelingtohearalandownersay,“Oh,Icando that!”
MagenDufurrenarappels
outofahelicoptertofighta fire.
MagenDufurrena
Wildland Firefighter
La Grande, Oregon
Myjobistohelpprotectandmaintainthehealthoftheforestbypreventing,controlling,andputtingout wildfires.
Irappeloutofhelicopterstofightforestfires.Myjobisunpredictable.Ineedtobereadyatamoment’snotice.Whensmokeisreported,myteamistoldaboutthefireactivity,location,and weather.
Thisinformationaffectshowwefightthefire.Wemakeourplanstoputout
thefirewhilemakingsurewearesafe.Rappellingfromahelicopterallowsustogettoafirequickly.Onceontheground,workingasateamisessential.It’sourjobtohelplookafterthesebeautifulplacesandkeeppeople safe.
