Even though the human race is partially responsible for the problems effecting habitats and wildlife on the planet, people are also a key part of the solution. These conservation heroes working to protect, manage, develop, and use our natural resources are known as forest rangers. The field of conservation is actually quite new. People are starting to notice that we use up the earth's resources faster than we can replace them. .
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When most people think of a forest ranger, they picture someone in a dark green jumpsuit with a wide brimmed hat. Many foresters do have a prescribed uniform, however with the many broad fields that a forester can specialize in, the green jumpsuit is inaccurate for all fields. Foresters work in many different environments including grasslands, legislative halls, classrooms, sawmills, and tree nurseries. However, even though a forester may not work in the outdoors all the time, the profession is considered a conservation or environmental science.
Probably the most beneficial course for any forestry related occupation is forest management. Forest management is a general course on forestry that lets a student learn about the many forestry professions. The curriculum for forest management at any university includes a variety of subjects. In this class, you learn a little bit about everything that has to do with taking care of forests. With a degree in forest management, one can then look to specialize in a more focused field such as forest engineering, wildlife management, wood science, and many other various subjects. (Forestry Careers, 29).
Before a future forester begins his or her college career, there are a lot of opportunities that he/she can become involved in to prepare him/herself for his/her job. When in high school, it is a good idea to take biological sciences, history, English, and computer courses. Also, outside of school, it would be wise to volunteer at a park, or to obtain a summer job to get some experience and an idea of what a forest situation is really like.