Land Trust or Preserve Managers

Employment of conservation scientists (including conservation land managers) is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is faster than the average for all careers. The DOL says that "heightened public interest in issues involving the environment, such as protecting wildlife habitats and preserving water supplies, will create demand for conservation scientists."

Land trusts are the fastest growing arm of the conservation movement today, with more than 1,280 private nonprofit land trusts in 2024, according to the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). The LTA reports that state, local, and national land trusts had conserved 61 million acres of open space as of 2020 (the latest year for which data is available). This is an increase of 14 million acres since 2010.

Right now, the best opportunities appear to be with the private land trusts and national land trust organizations, as opposed to the federal agencies. With little exception, none of the federal agencies is expected to see big growth over the next few years. It's also important to remember that the field of land trust/preserve management is small and competition for the best jobs is very strong.