Forest fires strike fear in the heart of anyone living near huge tracts of forest land.  Fortunately there are brave fire fighters known as the smoke jumpers.  These individuals are carried over the forest in airplanes, and parachute out of the plane when they reach the scene of the fire.  Sometimes they rappel out of helicopters, too, depending on the fire and the situation.

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The weasel is a mammal fro the Order:  Carnivora  Family:  Mustelidae  Subfamily:  Mustelinae  Genus:  Mustela  Species:  16  (found world wide except for Antarctica and Australia).   10 species have weasel as a common name, whilst others are referred to stoat. ermine, polecats or ferrets. The weasel is often maligned and misunderstood.  In general the weasel is considered a “pest” and yet their most common prey is mice.

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A young person who enjoys science and nature, and is interested in ecology, could be a good candidate for becoming a forester.  There are many different specialties a student can pursue when preparing for a career in forestry.  When you hear the term “forester” you may think first of a “Smokey the Bear” type of forest ranger, but there is much more to the job of caring for forests than just watching out for forest fires!

Some foresters are employed by private industries, such as paper producers or companies that make wood products.  These foresters use their knowledge of the forest to plan how and where the timber can best be harvested in order to make the most profit without harming the ecology of the forest or its wildlife.  Sometimes they have to work in the laboratory.  They must have a good understanding of the chemistry involved in making trees into paper or wood products.

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Loggers have one of the most rugged jobs around.  Their working conditions include just about anything Mother Nature can dole out.  For instance, rain and snow, wild animals, and poisonous snakes are just a few of the hazards a logger faces.  The terrain is rough and rugged, the loads are heavy, and the work is hard.  But working conditions for loggers are better than they used to be.

Loggers still do a lot of work by hand, but heavy equipment is available for some of the heavy lifting tasks.  The crew has to be able to get to where the logging is going on.  Since this is probably a remote area,  the commuting distances are long.  Some loggers live together in bunkhouses during jobs.

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Working around trees is not for those who are out of shape or faint of heart!  A forestry tree planter works long and hard on a variety of tasks related to forests, but the news is not all bad.  For a person who loves the outdoors and wants to be involved directly in something that is good for the environment, you can’t beat planting trees.

A forestry tree planter usually works with a team of people to clear ground and plant new tree seedlings.  The team may camp onsite, so you can count on some camaraderie and fun during down times, but you also have to be able to get along with other people.  The day starts early and lasts long, and you are in the weather no matter what the weather is.

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