Do you like the outdoors? Lindley Charlotte Little does. She's a professional
forester. Her job gives her plenty of opportunity to enjoy being outside.
For example, she remembers one day at work that turned out to be more than
just another day on the job. Her day started with a helicopter ride along
a rugged coastline. The helicopter landed on a remote pristine white sand
beach that is inaccessible to most people. After spending a day surveying,
Little and the other foresters combed the beach for hidden treasures before
catching the helicopter back home.
"The return flight provided yet another opportunity to see sea lions, rafts
of otters and the occasional gray whale," Little says. Days like that are
just one of the reasons she loves her work.
Little chose forestry because she was interested in science, and she wanted
an education that led to job prospects. "Because I studied forestry, university
prepped me to start on a professional career path as soon as I graduated,"
she says.
Little graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in 2003.
She immediately started working in a summer student position. It turned into
a full-time job after the summer was over.
Next, Little enrolled with an association as a forester-in-training. You
need two years of work experience to become registered with the association.
She passed the exam in 2005. The exam focuses on policy, legislation and professional
ethics.
Little works in a field of forestry called regeneration silviculture. She
does things like tree planting, tallying numbers of trees, brushing and weeding,
fertilizing, and burning logging slash. These treatments, as foresters call
them, vary according to the age of the tree stand and the time of the year.
"This provides a lot of variety in my job," Little says. She also writes
reports and other documentation.
The job has exceeded her expectations. Since foresters are in high demand
where she lives., Little has had opportunities for advancement already. She
has had a promotion, raise and increased responsibilities sooner than she
expected.
Most foresters see great value in their work. They evaluate the potential
impacts on conditions like water quality, wildlife and fish habitat, recreation,
visual quality, biodiversity, soils and First Nations resources that may be
archeologically significant.
For anyone interested in a forestry career, Little recommends getting related
work experience. For Little, working as a summer student while she was in
university provided valuable experience.
"Get out into the forest," she says. "I always loved being out in the forest
and that is a big part of the job!"
Little believes that forestry is a good choice for people who enjoy the
outdoors and are physically active. You must be able to think on your feet
and come up with last-minute plans. You need good time management, good organizational
skills, and good verbal and written communication skills.
Brian Marcus is also a forester. He agrees that the work is physically
challenging. He recalls that forestry students who did not have experience
at summer jobs did not understand the rigors of the outdoor work. It's important
to understand what the job is like so you don't waste your time and your employer's
time, he comments.
Marcus graduated from university in 1998. At that time, he wasn't able
to find a job in the forestry industry during the summer. " 'Oh, how things
have changed!" he comments.
Today there is a big demand for forestry students. But in 1998, jobs were
hard to find. It took Marcus seven years to find a full-time job. Today,
Marcus works as a field forester. He spends most of his time outdoors working
on the forestry side of the industry. Like Little, he manages blocks after
harvesting is complete.
Before harvesting, he visits the forest block that will be cut, identifies
site types and develops a plan for going forward. He also looks after all
the tasks that come after the harvest. This includes post-harvest inspections,
site prep, planting, brushing, seeding protection and block assessments.
Marcus believes his work has social value. It's important to manage forests
correctly for future generations. It's also important to protect wildlife
and the recreational features that people enjoy. He chose this field because
he loves nature and being outside. "It seemed like a no-brainer out of high
school to go into forestry," he says. "I have enjoyed all of my time in the
field of forestry.
"Every day has its own adventure attached to it," Marcus remarks. You deal
with extreme weather, wild animal encounters, and equipment and access problems.
"The adventure never ends," he finishes. "One just has to find ways to
solve the problems you may encounter."