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Forest technician skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted expert
Ellen Rom
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical forest technician skills. We ranked the top skills for forest technicians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 26.6% of forest technician resumes contained gps as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a forest technician needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 forest technician skills for your resume and career

1. GPS

GPS stands from Global Positioning System. It is a navigation system comprising of satellites that helps in determining the location, velocity, and synchronize time data for different modes of travel like air, sea, or land.

Here's how forest technicians use gps:
  • Worked as Team Lead with another seasonal employee to inventory timber stand information with the use of GIS and GPS tools.
  • Travel team leader, Inventory at 5 Wildlife Refuges, GPS & GIS mapping responsibilities

2. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how forest technicians use data collection:
  • Assisted in data collection for recreation management systems.
  • Assisted archaeologists with data collection for determination of study sites.

3. Harvest

Here's how forest technicians use harvest:
  • Surveyed harvest unit boundaries and determine area of harvest units using GPS/GIS data.
  • Mark boundaries and individual trees for reforestation and timber harvest site preparation.

4. Forests

Here's how forest technicians use forests:
  • Locate and/or re-locates and re-establishes permanent forest plots using specialized forestry tools and equipment.
  • Performed fixed-radius plot sampling and analysis of private forest for landowner's objective

5. GIS

A geographic information system (GIS) is a tool for capturing, storing, manipulating, analyzing, managing and presenting various forms of geographic data.

Here's how forest technicians use gis:
  • Used knowledge of dendrology to identify trees to document the value of standing timber in designated GIS areas.
  • Managed GIS/GPS program: Managed GIS program to meets needs of the hybrid poplar operation.

6. Wildlife Habitat

Here's how forest technicians use wildlife habitat:
  • Volunteered to work on wildlife habitat improvement projects including native plant reintroduction and fisheries improvement.
  • Applied site preparation, such as prescribed burning, for timber stand and wildlife habitat improvement.

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7. Management Practices

Management practices usually refer to those working methods or innovations that managers use to improve the effectiveness of work systems for the growth of the organization. Examples of some common management practices include training of staff, empowering of staff, introducing different schemes geared towards improving quality, introducing various forms of new technology, etc.

Here's how forest technicians use management practices:
  • Plan and direct logging operations in harvesting of timber products, using best management practices.
  • Collected statistical data on native and invasive woody and herbaceous plant species composition to measure responses to management practices.

8. ATV

Here's how forest technicians use atv:
  • Trail Crew * Maintain Colorado Columbine ATV, hiking, and other recreational trails.
  • Cleared atv trails and placed cattle guards for atv use.

9. Trail Maintenance

Here's how forest technicians use trail maintenance:
  • Instructed first-time participants of Youth Conservation Corps in wilderness safety and trail maintenance.
  • Second year focused on horse packing and backcountry trail maintenance with some trail construction.

10. Usfs

Here's how forest technicians use usfs:
  • Collected statistical forest survey data via USFS Region 6 Stand Exams protocol and surveys of young tree plantations.
  • Performed trail and road inventories via ATVs to gather GPS/GIS data for use in USFS and BLM Travel Management Plans.

11. Fire Prevention

Fire prevention skills are essential to investigate buildings to review that all local, state and federal fire regulations are followed. Apart from obtaining a certification from the NFPA, you should develop skills including the ability to communicate clearly, and an understanding of how fire prevention equipment and fire alarms work.

Here's how forest technicians use fire prevention:
  • Utilized multiple channels of communication to provide continuing fire prevention information and education to stakeholders and public.
  • Collaborated with Forest Public Affairs Officer creating effective public service announcements and news releases emphasizing fire prevention.

12. Firefighting

Here's how forest technicians use firefighting:
  • Obtained a Forest Service firefighting red card and participated in prescription burning and firefighting crews.
  • Drove/operated firefighting vehicles (structure and wild land) as fire engine operator.

13. Fire Season

Here's how forest technicians use fire season:
  • Lead and conduct training exercises for firefighters in preparation for proficiency drills and fire season.
  • Worked as part of an Engine Crew for two full wildfire seasons.

14. Creek

Here's how forest technicians use creek:
  • Provided recreation technician services on the South Platte Ranger District, South Platte River Corridor stationed at Indian Creek Work Center.
  • Assisted on research in Bent Creek Forest.

15. Equipment Maintenance

Equipment maintenance is any process that includes the use of maintenance methods and procedures to keep the organization's equipment in good and reliable working condition. This may include routine maintenance as well as corrective repairs. The practice takes place in a variety of settings, including catering establishments, industrial factories, manufacturing facilities, hotels, etc.

Here's how forest technicians use equipment maintenance:
  • Perform required maintenance and Quality Assurance inspection of the supply, transportation operations and equipment maintenance and installation level logistics
  • Managed equipment inventory, documented vehicle mileage and truck, tractor, and equipment maintenance.
top-skills

What skills help Forest Technicians find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on forest technician resumes?

Ellen RomEllen Rom LinkedIn profile

Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University

For land management positions, GIS skills are important as, of course, is plant identification. Evidence of leadership, teamwork, problem solving, and good communication skills are important regardless of field of interest.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about forest technician

List of forest technician skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a forest technician resume and required skills for a forest technician to have include:

  • GPS
  • Data Collection
  • Harvest
  • Forests
  • GIS
  • Wildlife Habitat
  • Management Practices
  • ATV
  • Trail Maintenance
  • Usfs
  • Fire Prevention
  • Firefighting
  • Fire Season
  • Creek
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Fire Training
  • Aerial Maps
  • USDA
  • CPR
  • Chainsaw
  • Plant Species
  • UTV
  • Timber Sale
  • Shovels
  • Law Enforcement
  • DBH

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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