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The New Way Of Thinking
Conservation Scientist
We've all been taught not to leave faucets running while brushing our teeth, leave lights burning or TVs on in unoccupied rooms, or play with matches, for each directly affects our finite supply of natural resources, of which we're all guardians. On behalf of plants and animals, we are the stewards of our world. So, if you are gifted in Science and Math and would like to join the front line in the ongoing war to preserve the splendor of our planet, then you should consider becoming a Conservation Scientist.
Conservation Scientists manage, improve, and protect natural resources and the overall land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, rainforests, wetlands, and river basins to maximize their use without damaging the environment. They conduct soil surveys and develop plans to eliminate soil erosion and to protect rangelands and often instruct farmers, agricultural production managers, and ranchers in: best ways to use crop rotation, contour plowing, and terracing to conserve soil and water; in the number and kind of livestock and forage plants best suited to particular ranges; improving their land for agricultural purposes and controlling erosion; and in range and farm improvements (fencing and reservoirs for stock watering).
The duties of a Conservation Scientist include but are not limited to: monitoring forestry and conservation activities to assure habitat protection; negotiating terms and conditions for forest harvesting and land-use contracts; choosing and preparing sites for planting new trees and determining the type, number, and placement thereof; devising plans to manage and regenerate forest lands and resources, to monitor progress, and to supervise tree harvests; advising on ways to remove timber with minimum environmental damage; devising plans prevent and reduce disease, harmful insects, invasive animal species, and wildfires; advising on water quality, preserving water supplies, preventing groundwater contamination, and conserving water; helping to restore degraded ecosystems; evaluating data on forest and soil quality and assessing damage to trees, forest lands, and a region’s environment due to fires and logging activities; inventorying soils, plants, and animals; directing firefighters, etc. in forest fire-suppression and controlled-burn activities; using clinometers (measure tree height), diameter tapes (tree circumference), and increment borers and bark gauges (growth of trees) to compute timber volumes and estimate growth rates; using aerial photographs, etc. from airplanes and satellites and geographic information systems (GIS) data to map large forest or range areas and to detect trends of land use; maintaining soil stability and vegetation for wildlife habitats; conducting research; and teaching at universities.
High school students interested in becoming a Conservation Scientist benefit from taking Biology, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Horticulture, Botany, Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Trigonometry, Computer Applications, and World Geography. Students entering Conservation Science Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous Conservation Science training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.
Conservation Land Managers (protect wildlife habitats, biodiversity, scenic value, etc. of preserves and conservation lands); Range Conservationists/Managers (protect and maximize use of rangelands); Soil and Water Conservationists (conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources); and Restoration Planners (study issues facing forests—global warming, forest pests, diseases, and wildfires, etc.—and related natural resources).
Due to the heightened demand for American timber, the increased number of wildfires and the need to restore lands affected by them, and the fact that preventing and suppressing wildfires has become the primary concern for government agencies managing forests and rangelands, employment of Conservation Scientists is projected to grow 3 percent over the next decade. Job prospects will be highest for those who have a strong understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
Median Salary: $61,100
Salary Range: ~$38,350 - $90,870+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
The normal routes to becoming a Conservation Scientist have been to major in Conservation Science, Ecology, Environmental Health and Safety, Environmental Soil Science, Environmental Science and Studies, Environmental, Forest Resources, Plant and Soil Sciences, Environmental Science (Fisheries Science and Technology, Environmental Chemistry, Water Quality, Urban Sustainability, Soil, Environmental Health Science, or Marine Science concentration), Environmental Studies and Sustainable Systems, Agronomy, Urban Forestry, Environmental Biology, Environmental Physics, Environmental Studies, Forest Resources and Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation, Wildlife Ecology Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Crop and Soil Science, Biology (Ecology, Environmental Science, or Environmental Biology concentration), Regulatory Science (Agriculture or Environmental Biology concentrations), Forestry (Forest Management, Forest Science, or Wildlife Biology), Integrated Environmental Science, Water Resource Management, Forestry Science, Natural Resources (Fisheries Management, Environmental Science, or Wildlife Management concentration), Marine Environmental Science, Environmental Heath Science, Marine and Environmental Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Earth Science, Agricultural and Environmental Systems (Environmental Studies, Sustainable Land Management, or Urban and Community Horticulture concentration), Marine Science, Environmental Engineering, Marine Biology, Plant Science, Soil Science, Fisheries Biology, Physics (Environmental Geophysics concentration), Agricultural Science (Plant and Soil Science, Forestry, or Environmental Science concentration), Horticulture, Fisheries Management, Geology, Global Studies (Environmental and Sustainable Development concentration), Agricultural System Engineering, Chemistry (Environmental Science concentration), Aquaculture, Agriculture (Agronomy, Aquatic Science, Natural Resources Management, Horticulture, Wildlife Management, Aquaculture, or Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science concentration), Renewable Energy, Landscape Architecture, Geomatics, Urban and Regional Planning, or Environmental Toxicology.
Combining practical skills, theory, and education, a bachelor's degree is required for entry-level positions in Conservation Science and for teaching Earth and Environmental Sciences in high school, while a master's degree qualifies one for some teaching and applied research jobs. A doctoral degree (Ph.D.) is required to teach, lead research, and serve as administrators at universities. Courses include: Ecology, Biology, Forest Resource Measurement, Geographic Information Systems, and Computer Modeling.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Conservation Science and related majors are: Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff, Arkansas); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, Florida); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Alabama State University (Montgomery, Alabama); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Alabama); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, Misissippi); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Barber-Scotia College (Concord, North Carolina); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Cheyney University (Cheyney, Pennsylvania); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Voorhees College (Denmark, South Carolina); and Miles College (Fairfield, Alabama).
Available Scholarships
