Foresters— conservation scientists. Such work would require a vast army of forestry experts. The cost would be enormous. Foresters have college degrees.

We all know that deforestation accounts for a huge amount of human it’s emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

And now, finally, six major industrial nations have announced a stunning new plan to save the world’s forests.

France, the USA, Japan, Britain, Norway, and Australia are pledging billions of dollars. They are dedicated to the task of preserving woodlands, to protect biodiversity, and the recognition of indigenous people’s rights.

The governor of Amazonias State in Brazil said, “Industrial nations are responsible for most of the emissions in the atmosphere; they owe us a debt.”

True, but slash-and-burn ranching (of a colossal scale seen from satellites) has devastated Amazonia, often called “the lungs of the planet.”

And the Ethiopian prime minister proposed that rich nations would pay poor nations to help control the effects of climate change.

It all sounds amazing. it’s the hope for the planet’s ecosystems that we desperately need.

Conservation scientists will be needed in large numbers, to make this great plan effective worldwide. The world will need more foresters and range managers, to monitor, manage, improve, and protect natural resources.

They will work with landowners and Federal, State, and local governments to devise ways to use and improve the land while safeguarding the environment. They will advise farmers, farm managers, and ranchers on how they can improve their land for agricultural purposes and to control erosion.

Range managers may inventory soils, plants, and animals; develop resource management plans; help to restore degraded ecosystems; or assist in managing a ranch. For example, they may help ranchers attain optimum livestock production by determining the number and kind of animals to graze, the grazing system to use, and the best season for grazing.

Conservation scientists and foresters often specialize in one area, such as wildlife management, soil conservation, urban forestry, pest management, native species, or forest economics. But most work falls into one of three categories: forestry, conservation science focusing on range lands, and conservation science focusing on farming and soil.

Foresters oversee the earth’s forests and direct activities on them for economic, recreational, conservational, and environmental purposes. Individual landowners, the public, and industry own most of the forested land in this country, and they require the expertise of foresters to keep the forests healthy and sustainable.

Often this means coming up with a plan to keep the forests free from disease, harmful insects, and damaging wildfires, for example, planning when and where to plant trees and vegetation and when to cut timber. It may also mean coming up with ways to make the land profitable but still protected for future generations.

Forestry requires extensive tech training. Clinometers measure the height of trees; diameter tapes measure tree diameter; and increment borers and bark gauges measure the growth of trees so that timber volumes can be computed and growth rates estimated.

Remote sensing (aerial photographs and other imagery taken from airplanes and satellites) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data often are used for mapping large forest areas and for detecting widespread trends of forest and land use. Once a map is generated, data are digitized to create a computerized inventory of information required to manage the forest land and its resources. Moreover, hand-held computers, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Internet-based applications are used extensively.

Most forester and conservation scientist positions will require a bachelor’s degree.

A bachelor’s degree in forestry, biology, natural resource management, environmental sciences, or a related discipline is the minimum educational requirement for careers in forestry.

However, higher-level research and teaching positions usually need a graduate degree. Foresters who wish to do research or to teach usually need an advanced degree, preferably a Ph.D.

Conservation scientists generally have at least a bachelor’s degree in fields such as ecology, natural resource management, agriculture, biology, or environmental science. A master’s degree or Ph.D. is usually required for teaching and research positions.

Most land-grant colleges and universities offer degrees in forestry. The Society of American Foresters accredits about 50 degree programs throughout the country. Curricula focus on four areas: forest ecology and biology, measurement of forest resources, management of forest resources, and public policy.

Median annual earnings of foresters in 2006 were $51,190. The middle 50 percent earned between $40,870 and $62,290. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,490, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,570.

In 2006, most bachelor’s degree graduates entering the Federal Government as foresters, range managers, or soil conservationists started at $28,862 or $35,752, depending on academic achievement.

Those with a master’s degree could start at $43,731 or $52,912. Holders of doctorates could start at $63,417.

In 2007, the average US Federal salary for foresters was $65,964; for soil conservationists, $64,284; and for rangeland managers, $60,828.

According to the US National Association of Colleges and Employers, graduates with a bachelor’s degree in conservation and renewable natural resources received an average starting salary offer of $34,678 in July 2007.

In private industry, starting salaries for students with a bachelor’s degree are comparable with starting salaries in Government, but starting salaries in State and local governments were usually lower.

Conservation scientists and foresters who work for Federal, State, and local governments and large private firms generally receive more generous benefits than do those working for smaller firms. Governments usually have good pension, health, and leave plans.

Conservation scientists and foresters manage, develop, and protect natural resources.

Other workers with similar responsibilities include environmental engineers, agricultural and food scientists, biological scientists, environmental scientists and hydrologists, geoscientists, and farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers.

The rich nations of Earth are at last facing the challenges of conservation science.

They are putting their billions of dollars to work, and conservation managers like foresters will be at the forefront of the battle to stabilize our earth’s ecology.

If you feel strongly about joining this war against the destruction of the very air we breathe, a degree in conservation science will arm you well.

Like US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “Protecting the world’s tropical rain forests is not a luxury— it is a necessity!”

For information about forestry careers and schools offering education in forestry, send a self-addressed, stamped business envelope to:

• Society of American Foresters, 5400 Grosvenor Ln., Bethesda, MD 20814-2198. http://www.safnet.org

Information about a career as a range manager, and a list of schools offering training, is available from:

• Society for Range Management, 10030 West 27th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80215-6601. http://www.rangelands.org/srm.shtml

Information on getting a job as a conservation scientist or forester with the Federal Government is available from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) through USAJOBS, the Federal Government’s official employment information system. This resource for locating and applying for job opportunities can be accessed through the Internet at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov or through an interactive voice response telephone system at (703) 724-1850 or TDD (978) 461-8404. These numbers are not toll free, and charges may result.