Forest and Conservation Workers — Tasks

Task statements

• Check equipment to ensure that it is operating properly.
• Fight forest fires or perform prescribed burning tasks under the direction of fire suppression officers or forestry technicians.
• Perform fire protection or suppression duties, such as constructing fire breaks or disposing of brush.
• Confer with other workers to discuss issues, such as safety, cutting heights, or work needs.
• Maintain tallies of trees examined and counted during tree marking or measuring efforts.
• Explain or enforce regulations regarding camping, vehicle use, fires, use of buildings, or sanitation.
• Operate skidders, bulldozers, or other prime movers to pull a variety of scarification or site preparation equipment over areas to be regenerated.
• Spray or inject vegetation with insecticides to kill insects or to protect against disease or with herbicides to reduce competing vegetation.
• Thin or space trees, using power thinning saws.
• Identify diseased or undesirable trees and remove them, using power saws or hand saws.
• Select or cut trees according to markings or sizes, types, or grades.
• Prune or shear tree tops or limbs to control growth, increase density, or improve shape.
• Maintain campsites or recreational areas, replenishing firewood or other supplies and cleaning kitchens or restrooms.
• Erect signs or fences, using posthole diggers, shovels, or other hand tools.
• Select tree seedlings, prepare the ground, or plant the trees in reforestation areas, using manual planting tools.
• Provide assistance to forest survey crews by clearing site-lines, holding measuring tools, or setting stakes.
• Sort tree seedlings, discarding substandard seedlings, according to standard charts or verbal instructions.