For the forest ranger no such intensive training is necessary. With a high school education as a background, one year of rather elementary training in such subjects as fire protection, surveying, timber estimating and scaling, nursery practice, methods of planting, range management, and report writing is sufficient to enable a man to qualify. In general, the course covers much the same ground as that taken by the professional forester, but in a much briefer and more elementary way. Those who have already had considerable practical experience along these lines can secure a sufficient foundation for their work in three or four months, although even for such men the longer course is preferable if time to take it can be found. Many of the forest schools of the country now offer courses of this sort and the opportunities for instruction are ample.
Since forest guards are engaged almost wholly on nontechnical work no particular course of training is necessary. No one with any ambition, however, would wish to remain a forest guard indefinitely when other opportunities are open to him merely by taking a free course of instruction. If one wishes to take up forestry, therefore, and is not in a position to take the professional course, he should by all means attempt to qualify as a forest ranger. Should lack of other openings then make it necessary for him to serve as a forest guard for the time being, he would be in a position to take advantage of the first opportunity for advancement.
What Opportunities Are Offered
Opportunities for employment for foresters may be classed as fairly good. The point has now been passed where the supply is totally inadequate to meet the demand, but at the same time the war has greatly depleted the ranks of foresters throughout the country, and there is no question that many new men will be needed during the process of reconstruction and afterwards. The National Forests already offer opportunities for the employment of many men and it can not be doubted that similar opportunities will soon be offered in State forests as well as in the case of forests still in the hands of private owners. With the steady decrease in the timber supply, the Nation will soon be face to face with the necessity of practicing forestry extensively as a national safeguard and unless private owners take upon themselves the task, there is little question but that the Federal and State Governments will take matters largely into their own hands.
Altogether it is a safe prediction that any one who desires to engage in forestry and who qualifies himself for the work will be able to find employment. The entering salary for forest guards in the national service averages about $900 a year and for forest rangers about $1,100 a year. Technically trained foresters ordinarily enter at approximately the same salary as forest rangers, $1,100 or $1,200 a year, but with greater opportunities for advancement later. In State and private work approximately the same entering salaries may be expected although some private owners may be unwilling to pay quite so much to forest guards and forest rangers at the start.
What Are the Chances for Promotion?
Chances for limited promotion are reasonably good. It should be recognized frankly, however, that one can not hope to get rich in the profession and that a comfortable living is all that can ordinarily be looked forward to. In exceptional cases unusually able and well qualified men will doubtless be able to draw salaries of $4,000 or $5,000 a year. The average professional forester, however, can hardly hope to advance much beyond $2,500 or $3,500 a year except by acquiring an interest in some lumber business or in the forest itself. For the forest ranger a salary of $1,500 or $1,600 may reasonably be looked forward to. Moreover, this salary often carries with it a ranger station which can be occupied as long as he stays in the service, and also an opportunity to produce some crops for his own use. Forest guards can hardly hope for more than $900 or $1,800 a year.
In other words, in forestry, as in all other professions, the better educated you are the better are your chances for promotion. Even at best, however, the chances for large salaries are small and those who are bent on getting rich should look elsewhere for an opportunity to do so. On the other hand, one who is satisfied to make a comfortable living, to spend a large part of his life in the open, to occupy a responsible and respected place in his home community, and to enjoy the satisfaction which comes from having an important share in a work of great public service, can not look for a more congenial or attractive occupation than forestry.
Appendix on Forestry Schools and Courses
These lists have been compiled by the Forest Service to aid in answering inquiries as to institutions at which instruction in forestry may be obtained. While every effort has been made to avoid errors, the Forest Service does not vouch for the completeness of the lists, their accuracy, or the relative merits of the courses offered. More detailed information regarding opportunities for disabled soldiers and sailors to take training courses in forestry may be obtained from representatives of the Federal Board for Vocational Education.