Find out about the different roles in forestry
Updated 15 October 2024
Applies to England
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Why work in forestry
Forestry is a rewarding career where you can make a real difference to the environment, nature, the economy and future generations.
Forestry offers excellent employment and development opportunities, as well as the option of being self-employed with the flexibility to be your own boss.
There are opportunities at all stages of your career, whether you are a school leaver, a graduate or a career changer.
Read Why work in forestry? by the Royal Forestry Society.
What are the different roles in forestry?
Forestry offers excellent employment opportunities across many varied roles, these include:
- hands-on forest management, such as tree officers, arborists and foresters
- environmental science and ecology
- research and innovation
- engineering
- timber production
- marketing and communications
- economics
- policy makers
- producers and suppliers
- data analytics
- supporting roles, such as HR, IT, project management, and finance
- working with communities and more
Forestry England explains more about the different roles in forestry.
The Arboriculture Association and LANTRA have useful guidance of what’s involved in many forestry roles.
Read more forestry job profiles by Green Jobs for Nature. They detail various roles in many categories.
The Royal Forestry Society also explains forestry roles in more detail.
Further resources
Learn more about working in forestry: