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Foresters

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Prior experience as a forestry intern or forestry technician will be useful for aspiring foresters.

Because of the nature of his or her work, the forester must often make decisions on the basis of incomplete knowledge. This means that you must be self-reliant and have a high degree of initiative. You should have an aptitude for science, curiosity, and a strong liking for the outdoors. Because trees grow slowly and the changes in forests are gradual, you must have greater-than-average patience and a firm conviction that the work you do is important. If you make mistakes or are careless, the results may not be apparent for many years. Therefore, you must be dependable and conscientious. While it is not necessary to be intensely athletic, you must have greater-than-average endurance and enjoy physical activity.

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