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Boston Career Explorer

Farming, Fishing, and Forestry

Forest and Conservation Workers

Under supervision, perform manual labor necessary to develop, maintain, or protect areas such as forests, forested areas, woodlands, wetlands, and rangelands through such activities as raising and transporting seedlings; combating insects, pests, and diseases harmful to plant life; and building structures to control water, erosion, and leaching of soil. Includes forester aides, seedling pullers, tree planters, and gatherers of nontimber forestry products such as pine straw.

Also called: Christmas Tree Farmer, Conservation Officer, Field Laborer, Forest Ranger, Forest Resource Specialist, Forestry Support Specialist

Median pay in Greater Boston
$51,300
$24.67/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
80
Massachusetts 2024–2034
Not published
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$35,160$37,340$51,300$58,560$71,090

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure16 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 14
  • Language-model AIOE 18
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 16

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools might help with equipment checks and work planning, but they do not replace outdoor labor like fire breaks, brush removal, and prescribed burns. Federal projections say automation of some manual tasks may reduce the number of workers needed.

Likely to change

  • Equipment checks and maintenance tracking
  • Planning and coordinating daily work

Still relies on people

  • Fighting fires and building fire breaks
  • Working outdoors and talking through safety

What federal projections say

“Productivity change - share decreases as the automation of some manual labor tasks in forest and conservation work reduces the number of necessary workers.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Firefighters

    Fire suppression and safety experience carry over. Firefighting pays $73,990 but needs postsecondary training and long-term on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$22,690 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +4.4%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

    Checking that equipment runs properly carries over to inspecting and testing machinery. This job pays $59,670 with moderate on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$8,370 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +5.2%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Construction Laborers

    Outdoor manual work and care of tools and equipment carry over. Pay is $63,420, with projected growth of 9.5% and short on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$12,120 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +9.5%
    To get started
    No formal educational credential

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

2 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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