Tom Stone
DNR Service Forester
Indian River
stonet@michigan.gov

If you hope to become a Forester, whether for industry, government, or as an independent consultant, it is best to get at least a four-year college degree in forestry. There are two-year technician positions , but those are limited.

You must have a love for the outdoors and love being out in all kinds of weather and tolerate an occasional biting insect.

College classes included a lot of math, English, history, labor, and sciences like biology, entomology, pathology, and botany. Now students take computer mapping, GIS/ GPS; remote sensing, and a whole host of other options.

As a Service Forester for the Michigan DNR, Forest Mineral & Fire management Division, I am a state government, civil service employee. I have the responsibility of helping to provide forestry assistance and information to private forest land owners in a 15 county area in the northern tip of lower Michigan. I communicate and cooperate with other foresters from whom I might get a call from an owner indicating they are interested in proper forest management. I make an appointment to meet them on their property. I get my map books and also get a copy of the soil map, topographical map, and an aerial photo. I check the Michigan Natural Features Inventory database for any known threatened and endangered species.

We meet on the property and take a tour of different forest types as seen by differences on the aerial photo or soil map. We talk about the potential for timber sales, wildlife habitat, recreation, aesthetics, wetland and riparian protection, insect and disease problems, tree planting needs and programs, and other issues like erosion control. We talk about forestry programs like Tree Farm, Michigan Forest Association, Commercial Forest Act, and federal incentive programs to assist owners.

After the meeting I will write a brief letter about our visit. Depending upon the needs, I may refer them to a consulting or industrial forester for a management plan and timber sale, or a contractor for a tree planting. If they do a practice through an incentive program , I will be involved in the application and follow-up inspection as well.

On the way home I might visit another owner; check a tree planting, inspect a Tree Farm, look over a harvest, or investigate an insect or disease problem. Hours and activities are varied and flexible. The job is very interesting , enjoyable, and rewarding.