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Natural resource manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Melissa Price

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical natural resource manager skills. We ranked the top skills for natural resource managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 13.3% of natural resource manager resumes contained business development as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a natural resource manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 natural resource manager skills for your resume and career

1. Business Development

Business development is the ideas or initiatives that work to make business work better. Selling, advertising, product development, supply chain management, and vendor management are only a few of the divisions involved with it. There is still a lot of networking, negotiating, forming alliances, and trying to save money. The goals set for business development guide and coordinate with all of these various operations and sectors.

Here's how natural resource managers use business development:

Worked with Business Development Managers to define job roles and responsibilities and to identify qualified candidates to present to client hiring managers
Coordinate the identification, recruitment and hiring of senior level personnel for Business Development key pursuits.

2. 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 natural resource managers use gis:

Utilized GIS and Arc View for recording and mapping endangered species and sensitive habitats.
Oversee and manage the District's GIS and GPS programs and resources.

3. Management Plans

Management plans are outlined objectives to complete for a specific project. This may include everything from assigning responsibilities to employees to timelines for individual objectives. Depending on the size of the project, management plans may include milestone objectives, which are smaller goals to reach within the project as a whole and may also have separate timelines.

Here's how natural resource managers use management plans:

Created management plans for Lyman Woods and Belmont Prairie.
Drafted the agency's first resource management plan.

4. Federal Agencies

Federal agencies are specialized departments of government set up by the government to perform specific duties. They can have responsibilities such as management of resources, overlooking of financial position of industries, national security issues, and so on.

Here's how natural resource managers use federal agencies:

Coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies on NEPA requirements for cell towers.
Develop professional relationships with other state and federal agencies in regards to fish and wildlife management.

5. Natural Resource Management

Here's how natural resource managers use natural resource management:

Revised natural resource management plan.
Participated in a panel of local experts to develop a natural resource management plan for a local nature preserve.

6. Environmental Policy

Environmental policy refers to the practice of analyzing how humans affect the environment and the laws and regulations that attempt to reduce the harmful effects. These policies and practices are typically enforced by government agencies or larger corporations, which may focus on cleaner water sources, less air pollution, or other areas.

Here's how natural resource managers use environmental policy:

Reviewed proposed projects for potential impacts to natural resources to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Review and comment on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents.

7. Cultural Resources

Cultural resources are historic or prehistoric indicators or remains of previous human activities, including artefacts, landscapes, sites, structures, and objects of importance to a culture or community. This value can be regarding its scientific, archaeological, architectural, spiritual traditional, religious, historic, and human development.

Here's how natural resource managers use cultural resources:

Insured compliance with rules and regulations, protection of project land, water, facilities and other environmental and cultural resources.
Provided preservation and advisement for cultural resources such as an historic cemetery and historic on-base buildings, coordination with SHPO.

8. Species ACT

The Species Act refers to the Endangered Species Act, which determines whether a particular species is endangered or threatened. If the species qualifies for the categorization, then any hunting, gathering, or selling of the species is prohibited and protected under federal law. In addition to entire species, the act can protect certain subspecies as well as habitats that are critically endangered.

Here's how natural resource managers use species act:

Produced a biological assessment to support Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act.
Reviewed proposed forest activities concerning Northern Spotted Owls and Marbled Murrelet for Endangered Species Act and Habitat Conservation Plan compliance.

9. 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 natural resource managers use gps:

Developed and trained park staff on GPS operation and uses.
Utilized GPS receivers and forest mensuration tools and vegetation inventory and monitoring methodologies.

10. Water ACT

Here's how natural resource managers use water act:

Conducted Jurisdictional Determinations under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

11. State Agencies

State Agencies, also called government agencies, are organizations associated with the government that oversee various aspects of society. These handles often handle administrative paperwork to ensure all laws, rules, and regulations are followed. State agencies include the Tennessee Valley Authority, Washington State Department of Labor, and Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Here's how natural resource managers use state agencies:

Coordinate field and laboratory work with relevant federal and state agencies such as U.S.
Maintain interface with county commissioners, departments and state agencies.

12. Harvest

Here's how natural resource managers use harvest:

Performed Phase 1 survey of approximately 700 acres of proposed timber harvest.
Evaluated deer density data to determine harvest goals for public hunts.

13. EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a US-based organization established to sustain and improve the environmental and human health standards across the United States. EPA was established by US President Richard Nixon by executive order in December 1970. The EPA formulates laws and releases guidelines to promote the health of individuals and the ecosystem.

Here's how natural resource managers use epa:

Inspected agricultural leases for lease compliance, including accurate planted acreages, EPA requirements, and general lease issues.
Prepare and execute reporting documents required by the Department and regulatory agencies, e.g., EPA, TNRCC, TDH.

14. Environmental Issues

Environmental issues refer to a number of harmful events and effects as a result of human activity. This includes pollution, deforestation, endangering specific species, and any other issue caused by humans. Environmental issues are commonly studied by environmental organizations and research laboratories, one side providing the scientific evidence of humans' harmful effects and the other promoting the research and studies.

Here's how natural resource managers use environmental issues:

Designed and implemented workshops on local ecology and environmental issues for ages 4-14
Created outreach program to educate hundreds of youth and adults about local environmental issues.

15. Environmental Quality

Here's how natural resource managers use environmental quality:

Air Quality Planning and Implementation Division - Chief Engineers Office Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Austin, TX.

What skills help Natural Resource Managers find jobs?

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

What natural resource manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Melissa Price

Associate Professor

Basic field skills will always be in high demand and will help you obtain entry level positions. For example, bird banding, herbicide, chainsaw, and wildfire certifications are often items that employers need to train you in immediately after hire. Thus, candidates who already have these certifications save employers time and money up front. Further, if you develop these skills to a level where you are certified to train others, you will be in particularly high demand. 'Soft skill' development such as writing skills, verbal communication, visual presentations, graphics, team-building, and networking are critical to solving the challenging problems we face in natural resource management. In particular, seek out training in the field of 'Decision Analysis', to prepare you for making challenging decisions in the face of uncertainty.

Do you want to know more?

List of natural resource manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a natural resource manager resume and required skills for a natural resource manager to have include:

Business Development
GIS
Management Plans
Federal Agencies
Natural Resource Management
Environmental Policy
Cultural Resources
Species ACT

GPS
Water ACT
State Agencies
Harvest
EPA
Environmental Issues
Environmental Quality
Data Collection

Restoration Projects
Oversight
Educational Programs
Fisheries
Trail Maintenance
Environmental Assessments

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

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