FORESTER (State)

Code: 02652 State Competitive Range: P19 (FY 2027) Work week NE: FLSA coveredOvertime table (4A:3, Appx. A)

Salary: $60,876.32 - $88,742.92/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under supervision of a Regional Forester or other supervisory official in the Department of Environmental Protection, implements forestry programs on state, municipal, and private lands; provides professional forestry review, planning, and recommendations for forestry programs within an assigned region or central office; does other related duties.

Examples of work

• Implements comprehensive multiple-use resource management plans involving assistance in forest reconnaissance, timber cruises, data acquisition and analysis for defining forestry objectives and goals, and the development of short and long-term forest resource recommendations.
• Implements the sale of forest products involving aerial photo interpretation, forest reconnaissance, designation of harvest trees, and sale areas, volume calculations, mapping, traversing boundaries, and the compilation of a sale prospectus; assists in the showing of sale areas to prospective bidders, conducting logger orientations, and monitoring of harvesting activities to ensure contract compliance.
• Cooperates in forest product sales and contract administration as delegated by a higher level forester or other supervisor.
• Implements the Homeowner Firewood Program which provides fuelwood to New Jersey residents, which include locating harvest sites, marking, mapping, and volume calculations.
• Implements all activities pertinent to the protection of the forest resource from insect, disease, and wildfire destruction including insect and disease surveys, mapping, designating areas in need of prescribed burning to reduce wildfire potential, fuel hazard reduction measures, and aerial spraying program for insect and disease control.
• Implements the reforestation needs on state lands which includes planting plans, site preparation (prescribed burning, herbicide treatments), assisting in the scheduling and supervising of tree planting operations, and contract compliance.
• Implements the urban and rural forestry assistance programs which include federal and state cost-sharing programs with corresponding inspections for compliance of federal and state specifications and standards, certification and annual award presentations, Consultant Forestry Referral Program, Municipal Tree Cutting Ordinance Program, assistance to local and county tax assessors relative to forestry and the Farmland Assessment Act, assistance to shade tree and environmental commissions, and assistance to municipal and county parks and governments.
• Conducts detailed inspections and analysis of proposed harvesting sites, maps, and technical review of forest management plans resulting in a letter of comment for the Pinelands Commission to comply with standards as listed in the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan.
• Participates in the operation of the State Forest Tree Nursery; activities include, the procurement of genetically superior seed, dale, harvest, and distribution of forest planting stock; knowledge and application of herbicides and pesticides, and vehicle operation.
• Prepares statistical, technical, and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations concerning silvicultural research, marketing, and related fields involving the use of modern data processing techniques to computerize forest inventories producing graphs, charts, and volume calculations of forest compartments and stands.
• Participates in information and education programs that provide a multimedia exposure of relative forestry activities directly to the public involving the preparation of technical articles, illustrated lectures, slide programs, award presentations, tours, and displays.
• Contributes towards publishing a quarterly Forest Products Marketing Bulletin for the primary and secondary forest product manufacturers in the state.
• Maintains essential records, files, reports, supplies, and equipment orders for the bureau.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree or higher in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Urban Forest Management, Silviculture, Forest Biometrics, or other closely related Forestry curriculum.

Experience

One (1) year of professional and/or technical experience in silvicultural, forest management, and/or reforestation work.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of forestry equipment and materials, including aerial photos (infra-red, color transparencies, and black & white), clinometer, hypsometer, staff compass, biltmore stick, prism, angle gauge, increment borer, and calipers.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of forestry, including but not limited to: silviculture, entomology, computer science, forest ecology, soils, mensuration, statistics, genetics, forest product utilization, surveying, remove sensing, urban forestry, forest resources law, logging, timber inventory, recreation, wildlife, hydrology, and fire management.
• Knowledge of fire science and management principles, wildfire control procedures, prescribed burning techniques, fire-weather influences, and fire effects on the environment.
• Knowledge of modern nursery practice as related to the production of forest seedlings.
• Knowledge of, and the ability to recommend the use of, herbicides and pesticides for the purpose of site preparation, forest stand protection, and urban tree maintenance programs.
• Knowledge of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan Act of 1978, New Jersey Pinelands Protection Act 1979, Farmland Assessment Act 1964, municipal tree ordinances, the Agricultural Retention and Development Act 1983, and any amendments made thereto after a period of training.
• Knowledge of soil surveys as published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service within the assigned region after a period of training.
• Knowledge of all current federal, state, and county cost-share programs, and other regulations and programs that affect the management of forest resources after a period of training.
• Ability to give talks and illustrated lectures on forestry, and the operation of various audio-visual equipment.
• Ability to address forest management and conservation concerns and develop effective solutions.
• Ability to be the field authority to initiate, recommend, and oversee all job activities performed according to contracts such as logging, yarding, tallying of products received, reforestation, and application of pesticides.
• Ability to prepare technical correspondence and clear, technically sound, accurate, informative reports, planning documents, and data summaries continuing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other professional and para-professional staff.
• Ability to understand, compile, and analyze technical forest terminology and data.
• Ability to appraise forests resource values and evaluate losses to be utilized in court case documentation.
• Ability to understand and comprehend technical forestry publications, necessary to maintain one's professional ability and knowledge current in forestry.
• Ability to maintain essential records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

A Master's degree in forestry may be substituted for the required experience.